The Truth of Brotherhood
by Rikku-Hoshi
Summary: My own sequel to FFX, written before I played FFX2. The story is told two years after Yuna defeats Sin, It is told from a 17-year-old chocobo knight named Vance's point of view. Vance befriends Rikku and Yuna and joins them on a mission.
1. My First Assignment

I do not own any characters except for Vance and some others. All of the rest are from Final Fantasy X! :) Enjoy the story, and please review!

Chapter 1: My First Assignment  
  
"So, what makes you any different from the rest," the brown-haired girl said, as she  
  
picked at her nails. She looked awfully bored, and I supposed it was because she'd spent the last  
  
few days doing nothing but interviewing people like myself.  
  
"Well, I'm extremely experienced with chocobos," I said, nodded toward the chocobo  
  
that was standing behind me. I nervously tightened my grip on my chocobo's reigns protectively,  
  
remembering the announcement about chocobo thieves that had just been heard booming across  
  
the Mi'ihen Highroad.  
  
"Who isn't," the girl replied gloomily.  
  
"Um, I'm a chocobo trainer, actually," I said, trying to stand up tall and hoping to see  
  
some sort of rise out of the girl.  
  
"You're just a boy," she just said, flicking something off of the table that we sat at.  
  
"That may be," I said, taking a seat and ordering my chocobo to rest beside me, "But I've  
  
spent the last six years training chocobos in the Calm Lands. Miss, I've traveled quite a way for  
  
this interview. It's been my dream for as long as I can recall to be a chocobo knight. Please, just  
  
listen to me."  
  
The lady finally looked up at me, and I saw some sort of recognition in her eyes, but she  
  
just shook her head.  
  
"An Al Bhed, with a chocobo," she mumbled to herself, "What is this world coming to?"  
  
"Actually," I said, looking at the ground, "I'm, er, only half Al Bhed. I...I'm actually not  
  
Al Bhed at all! I've lived in the Calm Lands since I was eleven, raising chocobos. I wasn't  
  
really, er, religious at all."  
  
"Well," the lady said, looking back at her nails, "At least you weren't some Yevonite.   
  
Still, shouldn't you be joining up with some Al Bhed Faction or something?"  
  
"Oh no," I said, looking down at my chocobo, as if hoping to receive some  
  
encouragement, "I'm actually not very good with machina."  
  
The lady snorted. "An Al Bhed who's better with chocobos than machina!" she laughed,  
  
"Who'd have thought!"  
  
I felt myself blush. I was different, I knew I was. That's why I had left the Al Bhed home  
  
six years ago, after my mother's death.  
  
"I'm not really Al Bhed," I said for what seemed like the hundredth time, "I mean, I am,  
  
but..."  
  
"I get it," she interrupted, and then laughed, "My name's Elma. I'll be your trainer."  
  
"You mean I passed?" I asked, my eyes growing wide.  
  
"Yeah, it's definitely rare these days to find someone who's better with chocobos than  
  
with machina! Especially an Al Bhed!"  
  
We shook hands, my eyes glowing with excitement the entire time.  
  
"Hear that, Sheea?" I said to my chocobo, who by now was looking quite bored herself,  
  
"We're in!"  
  
Sheea stood up then, and gave what I took to be a congratulating squawk. I jumped on  
  
her back, and saluted Elma. Elma laughed, and saluted in return. She then handed me an  
  
envelope, and told me to give it the commander Lucil.  
  
Smiling, I rode quickly over to the command center, and asked to see the commander.   
  
The man at the desk seemed surprised to see an Al Bhed, even though flushing I told him that  
  
really I wasn't, and then he showed me the way to see Lucil. I left Sheea with him, although it  
  
only made me nervous, as I remembered the chocobo bandits.  
  
Sheea and me had been through so much together, being that when I was a lonely boy of  
  
eleven, I had stumbled upon a fiend who had destroyed a chocobo nest. I scared the fiend away,  
  
but all of the eggs had been smashed, and the mother killed. One egg, however, had not been  
  
smashed, and then, an egg cracked open, and there was Sheea.  
  
I kept her, and together we'd trained many other wild chocobos and sold them, making  
  
quite the profit. However, as the Eternal Calm came, so did the Machina Revolution. This  
  
seemed like the perfect time to be an Al Bhed, but only to most Al Bheds. I hated the Machina  
  
Revolution. It was too sad to see so many chocobos being traded in for machina. Not only that,  
  
but soon, my business went down too.  
  
There were two things that I had always wanted to be. One of those was a chocobo  
  
knight. I had often dreamed of myself, slaying Sin. But back then, there was no such thing as an  
  
Al Bhed chocobo knight. So, I had basically given up on that dream. The other thing I wanted to  
  
be was a Blitzball player. Let's face it, however, because I was no good. I could barely swim, let  
  
alone hold my breath for that long. Still, the excitement of the game had always interested me.  
  
I forced myself to snap back to the present, and realized that by now, I was walking up to  
  
Lucil's desk.  
  
She was faced the other way, talking into some sort of machina. I bit my tongue. If I  
  
were a true Al Bhed, which six years ago, I had wanted so badly to be one, I would have known  
  
what kind of machina that was, and how to work it. I wasn't a true Al Bhed, however, and I  
  
knew I'd just have to face it. In fact, as I stood there, waiting, I realized that I didn't even  
  
remember the Al Bhed language. If my mother knew, I knew she'd be disappointed.  
  
I hated thinking of my mother. To me, she wasn't the best mother. She had died when I  
  
was four, so I barely remembered her, but I could still clearly see her face. Still, she was the one  
  
who had left me at the Al Bhed Home all by myself.  
  
I closed my eyes, thinking of those painful days at the Al Bhed Home. A woman's voice,  
  
however, interrupted my thoughts.  
  
I snapped back to reality, to see a lady with flaming red hair staring at me.  
  
"Yes?" she said, "And please be quick, it's been a busy day. I have trainees that I need to  
  
get situated."  
  
"Uh, I'm one of those trainees," I said, handing her the envelope that Elma had given me.  
  
"You?" she said, and I nodded. "Very well," she said, "We need all the help we can get."  
  
"Would it be okay if I ask you something?" I asked, blushing as I did. I was fairly  
  
reserved, and didn't go out of my place to often. Growing up in a place like the Calm Lands  
  
could do that to you.   
  
"Certainly," the lady said, but she was looking through papers more than she was paying  
  
attention to me.  
  
"You've been understaffed for so long. Why are you just now taking in so many people?   
  
And with Sin gone..."  
  
"You see," she interrupted, "There is an extremely large, uh, thing, going to happen in a  
  
couple of months. Only a few people know about it, and...well, we need people to help keep  
  
things in order when the time comes. You understand, correct?"  
  
"Oh, yes ma'am," I said, nodding my head.  
  
She smiled, and then made a waving moment with her hand. "Please go back out, and  
  
you will be greeted by the same man that greeted you earlier. Then, you will be taken to the  
  
barracks. Enjoy, because after this, you'll be suffering in our boot camps!" Lucil laughed as if  
  
what she had just said was some sort of joke, and I thanked her, and then left.  
  
I met up with the man, and took Sheea to the "Chocobo Ranch", and then went to the  
  
barracks. I was quite tired, so I did little talking with the rest of the new recruits, and then went  
  
to bed.  
  
Training was super easy for me, being that I was so experienced with the chocobos. I  
  
wasn't allowed to ride Sheea too often, because Captain Lucil and Elma wanted to see how I  
  
dealt with other chocobos, but that wasn't a huge deal.   
  
I was fast too. Sheea and me had been in plenty of races in the Calm Lands, and I was an  
  
incredibly skilled rider, not that I liked to brag, or anything.  
  
I must truly admit, however, that through everything, I grew more and more curious as to what  
  
it was that we had all been hired for.  
  
At night, when we were supposed to be asleep, many of the other knights would discuss  
  
what it was they thought we were needed for. They threw in silly ideas, like maybe it was for a  
  
blitzball tournament, or maybe that Sin had returned, or even that it was just some test to see if  
  
we were good enough riders to start the first chocobo racing team.   
  
I shrugged all of these ideas off. _No, it's got to be something way more important. It's  
  
got to be for something huge.  
_  
I didn't realize, however, just how huge it truly was going to be. For Spira, for everyone,  
  
for me.

"Vance, I've called you for a reason," Elma said, two months after I had first become a member  
  
of the chocobo knights, "Everybody else...Well, they're not nearly as talented as you."  
  
"Uh, thanks, I guess," I said, wondering what it was that Elma had called me for. It was  
  
late one evening, and everybody else was out partying, being that our training had finally ended.  
  
"Look, Vance," Elma said, "You're what we need. Even if you are just a boy."  
  
I stood up straight. I hated it when they reminded me of you youth. I was seventeen after  
  
all. It's not as if I wasn't mature enough to be considered a man. Then, I nearly laughed at the  
  
thought. _Mature? Me? Yeah right!  
_  
"Anyway," Elma said, noticing how I had cringed at the word "boy", soon we're going to  
  
give each and every one of you your assignments. We will also tell you what it is that we hired  
  
you to do. Do you understand so far?"  
  
I nodded. What wasn't there to understand?  
  
Elma cleared her throat. "Besides Lucil and myself, there isn't anyone out there who  
  
is...well, man enough, to do the job we're going to do." Elma's throat cleared again, and she  
  
continued, "I know I said you were a boy...but, well, we think you have what it takes. We're  
  
ranking you up with us."  
  
"What!" I said, a broad smile crossing my lips, "Seriously! Wow! It's, it's an honor,  
  
Ma'am."  
  
Elma laughed, "You can call me Elma now, Vance. There is one thing that we didn't  
  
cover in training, though, that you may need to do."  
  
"What's that?" I asked, wondering what we hadn't covered.  
  
"Fighting," Elma flatly said.  
  
"But without Sin, what's the need?" I asked, "Will there be fiends on this mission?"  
  
Elma shook her head. "Worse," she said, "There may be some, er, unhappy people."  
  
I nodded, as if I understood what it was she was talking about.  
  
"Have you ever fought with a sword?" she asked me then.  
  
I blushed. I had once, years ago. It hadn't been too pretty.  
  
"No Ma'am," I said, and then covered, "I...I mean, no, Elma."  
  
She giggled like a little girl, but then sighed. "That's too bad, Vance," she said, looking  
  
at the ground, "We really could have used you."  
  
In a flash, I said, "But I do fight."  
  
"What?" she said, looking startled.  
  
I smiled. "In the Clam Lands, you may know that there are plenty of fiends. I had to  
  
protect myself somehow." I pulled out a sling that I always kept in my pocket. It wasn't much,  
  
just a stick with a stretchy ribbon between its two branches.  
  
"That? That's what you fight with?" I thought she was going to laugh, and it was now I  
  
that was looking at the ground, feeling suddenly quite boyish, and wishing I was older. _No, I'm  
  
not going to give up this easily!  
_  
"Elma," I said, interrupting her fit of giggles, "Look, give me something to give you an  
  
example of."  
  
"Very well," she laughed, but with a hint of challenge in her eyes, "See if you can defeat  
  
me!"  
  
She ran off, and returned with a sword.  
  
"Hmph," I said, raising my eyebrows to accept the challenge, "But don't say I didn't warn  
  
you."  
  
I bent down then, scooping up a rock. Elma charged at me, but I was two quick. I put the  
  
rock in the center of the ribbon and fired at Elma, hitting her in the eye.  
  
She dropped her sword and put her hands over her eyes, whimpering as she did so.  
  
"Ow!" she moaned, "Am I going to be blind now?"  
  
"Sorry!" I said, "I warned you!"  
  
I bent down to help her, but she shoved me away, and slowly opened her eye. It was  
  
watering, and was a little red.  
  
"See," I said, "I have perfect aim." I giggled then, and said, "You're lucky you aren't a  
  
guy!"  
  
"You give no mercy, do you," she said, smiling, "I think the captain will be glad to hear  
  
that you fight."  
  
I smiled, and helped Elma to her feet. "So, I pass, right?" I said, smiling and tucking my  
  
sling away.  
  
She smiled back and nodded. "Still," she said, "It may be wise to learn how to fight with  
  
a sword, just to keep handy, do you understand?"  
  
I nodded, a smile on my face.  
  
"So," I said, "Can you tell me what it is we're doing now?"  
  
She smiled at me, and said, "Just watch the news tomorrow, okay? It'll be on everyone's  
  
tongues!  
  
I had no idea what she meant, but was soon to find out.

"No way! Did you hear?" I heard someone say to someone else as I awoke the next  
  
morning and got my breakfast.  
  
"Hey Jeddy, you hear about the summoner?" another person said, as they passed me.  
  
"Who hasn't," his companion said, "It's been all over the news!"  
  
I would've asked, "Hey, what's going on?" if I'd been a little less shy, but I just went  
  
over to my table and sat down, reading over the day's schedule.  
  
Someone had turned the sphere on then, and I looked over at it, and saw the blushing face  
  
of the High Summoner, Yuna.  
  
I hadn't seen her much, being that in the Calm Lands, not much really goes on, but I did  
  
know who she was. You'd have to be completely crazed if you didn't know who the High  
  
Summoner Yuna was.  
  
"Lady Yuna, is it true you're going to get married?" the newscaster was asking, and  
  
everybody in the entire cafeteria went quiet, as everybody tuned in to see what was going on.  
  
Lady Yuna blushed, and she nodded, "Yes, I am going to wed," she said, and smiled.  
  
Something about her smile didn't seem right to me, however, but I was able to shrug it off  
  
as the entire room around me began to cheer.  
  
"Lady Yuna's finally getting married!" someone yelled, and everybody began chatting  
  
excitedly.  
  
"Exactly," Captain Lucil said, as she marched to the front of the room then and clicked  
  
the sphere off, "That's why you have all been called here!"  
  
Everybody went silent then.  
  
"You knew, Captain?" a short man in the back asked.  
  
Captain Lucil nodded. "It's been known through a select few for a couple of months  
  
now.  
  
"Who's she marrying?" someone asked, and the room became noisy again.  
  
Captain Lucil raised her arms to quiet the room down, and she smiled, "You'll find that  
  
all out later. Now, before all of you begin to party, and yes, I know this is a bit of extremely  
  
good news, we need to talk first.  
  
"You have all been brought here to help at Lady Yuna's wedding. Some of you will be  
  
doing more than others, and many of you won't even be riding on chocobos at all."  
  
Some people smiled, being that many of the chocobo knights weren't all that skilled at  
  
riding chocobos.  
  
"As many of you know," Captain Lucil continued, "Spira hasn't been the happiest over  
  
the last year. Why, with the Machina Revolution, and all of those Yevonites, the world hasn't  
  
been too happy as of late. And without proper maesters, there hasn't been too much a system,"  
  
Lucil paused then, as if thinking, "But now things will get better, as it is said that the Lady Yuna  
  
is wedding the late Maester Mika's youngest grandson. However, being that it is the Lady Yuna,  
  
Summoner of Yevon, and the Maester of Yevon's grandson, there may be some unhappy people.   
  
We are to make sure that the wedding gets under way without any interruptions. That means that  
  
we will all be heading to Bevelle in two days and begin keeping watch. All of your assignments  
  
are posted in your barracks. Now, have a nice day, as the day is yours."  
  
Lucil smiled then, and the entire caffeteria went wild. The Song of the Chocobo Knights  
  
was being sang, and people bounced up and down excitedly.  
  
I sat back and observed everything. _It's just a wedding,_ I found myself thinking, _It's not  
  
any big deal._ Still, no matter how much I convinced myself that it was no big deal, I knew it  
  
was. As I watched the people jump up and down, it became more and more clear of why this was  
  
so important. The people needed something to look forward to, and this was the perfect thing. A  
  
wedding. A nice, happy wedding, with the great Maester's grandson and the High Summoner  
  
who defeated Sin. What could be better, after all? _A blitzball game,_ I nearly laughed to myself,  
  
_Heck, even a chocobo race would be more exciting._ I didn't realize, that after what was about to  
  
happen, even chocobo races and blitzball would seem incredibly dull.

"Welcome to Bevelle!" Captain Lucil said, as she rode a ways ahead. Following closely  
  
behind her were Elma and me, followed by Clasko, and the rest loomed behind a ways.  
  
"And I always thought Clasko was bad!" Elmo had jokingly said to me earlier. The truth  
  
was, that everyone was so excited and nervous at the same time that they weren't in too much of  
  
a rush.  
  
Bevelle loomed in the distance, but only a short distance. The noise level of the place  
  
was huge, and it seemed, even from a distance, that everything was amazingly bright and happy.  
  
"Okay troops!" Lucil said with a smile, "I'll lead you on ahead, Elma, Vance, stay back."  
  
The tired troops and their chocobos headed off, following their commander. Elma and  
  
me stayed behind, cheering the troops on as they went. I didn't understand why we where  
  
standing there, but, I realized that Elma would probably fill me in as soon as all of the troops  
  
passed.  
  
As soon as they were all out of the way, Elma smiled at me, and said, "Have you ever met  
  
Lady Yuna?"  
  
"No, I haven't," I replied.  
  
"Well, we'll be right up there with Yuna, and all of her friends. Sound okay?" Elma said.  
  
"Sure," I just said in return.  
  
"Lucil, you, and I will be the more, uh, personal security. Get what I'm saying?"  
  
I nodded my head. "Yeah, I do," I said.  
  
"Look, she has her friends, or, who were her guardians, okay?"  
  
"'Kay," I said, nodding my head.  
  
"But, we're a little worried about either Anti-Yevon people pulling something, or Yevon  
  
people pulling something. Got it? Keep your eyes, and ears open." Elma looked at the ground  
  
and smiled, "But it's mighty exciting, isn't it? I mean, the Lady Yuna getting married!"  
  
"Oh, yeah," I said, trying so hard to hide the sarcasm in my voice, "It's incredibly  
  
exciting."  
  
Elma laughed again, and said, "Come on, we're going to meet the High Summoner! I  
  
haven't seen her since before the calm! How exciting is this?"  
  
My eyes rolled as soon as Elma was gone. I didn't know why, but even if she did bring  
  
the Eternal Calm, I just didn't see why we needed to go way out for her wedding. Maybe I was  
  
just cold-hearted. I didn't know. I looked down at Sheea, and then followed swiftly behind  
  
Elma, and her giddy chocobo, not really feeling too over excited about the High Summoner's  
  
wedding. I was excited though, and smiled broadly to show it. After all, this was my first  
  
assignment. And I had already become so high up. In fact, I was the third most important, and  
  
just over a few months! I was so full of pride, but was definitely doing my best not to show it.  
  
Happily, almost giddily as well, I followed Elma at full speed, heading closer and closer  
  
to Bevelle.


	2. Old Friends

Chapter 2: Old Friends  
  
"Aren't you kind of nervous?" Elma whispered to me. We were standing outside of the  
  
old Temple of Yevon, waiting to meet the High Summoner.  
  
"Naw," I said, smiling. We had only been in Bevelle for a couple of hours and had gotten  
  
the troops ready and in their stations. Now, Lucil had gone into the temple to meet with the High  
  
Summoner, and then we were to meet the High Summoner and her guardians.  
  
Elma stood up perfectly straight, and both of us were dressed in the shiniest armor we  
  
had. I felt more ridiculous than anything, being that my armor was somewhat large on me. We  
  
also had shiny badges to show who we were, and Elma stuck her chest out, proud of her badge.  
  
I was proud too, but didn't feel like I needed to show off to anyone, even if it was the  
  
High Summoner herself.  
  
I leaned against the wall, trying my hardest to stifle a yawn. It had been a long day, and a  
  
long ride from Mi'ihen Highroad.   
  
Elma gave me a warning look, however, so I stood up, and stood up straight too, trying  
  
not to let a smile crack on my serious face.  
  
Elma's head shook. "This is all just some joke to you, isn't it?" she said, her eyes  
  
looking at me, although her head was still focused straight ahead, at the door, as if it were to  
  
open in any second.  
  
"Well, this is," I said, "But once we actually start, then I promise it won't be a joke!"  
  
She raised her eyebrows, as if she didn't quite believe me. We didn't have any more time  
  
to talk, because then the door that we were waiting by opened, and I found myself standing up  
  
tall, and, to my surprise, puffing out my chest like Elma was.  
  
Lucil was the one who had come out, and saluted to us. We saluted back.  
  
"The Lady Yuna and her guardians will be out shortly," she reported to us, "We are to  
  
meet them, and are to act as guardians to her guardians. Does everybody understand."  
  
We nodded. Lucil nodded in return, and stood between Elma and me, with her chest  
  
puffed out as well.  
  
"Must just be one of those habits..." I thought to myself, puffing my chest out again. The  
  
large armor cut into my ribs, and it was painful, but I couldn't stop showing off that nice shiny  
  
badge...  
  
I didn't have any more time to think, however, because right then, a ronso and a girl came  
  
out from behind the door. A larger man with orangish hair came out then, followed by a grim  
  
looking woman.  
  
The grim, all black and gray woman came in front and smiled to Lucil and then nodded to  
  
us.  
  
"Everything's all settled," she said.  
  
Elma and Lucil smiled, and I wondered what it was they were talking about. I was  
  
finding myself quite confused.  
  
"It is an honor," Lucil said, and smiled, "It's been a while, hasn't it?"  
  
Elma was smiling, and I hoped my expression wasn't as confused looking as I felt.  
  
The girl, who was standing on the opposite side of the ronso smiled fondly, and then  
  
looked over at me. Her vaguely familiar green eyes met mine, and she stared at me, making me  
  
feel somewhat uncomfortable.  
  
"She probably realizes I'm Al Bhed," I thought to myself, and then immediately ran those  
  
thoughts out of my head. "Wait! She's Al Bhed too?"  
  
Lucil, Elma, the grim lady, and the orange haired man were deep in discussion, and I  
  
supposed I was supposed to be listening as well, but the Al Bhed girl and me just continued to  
  
stare at each other.  
  
"Why is she staring at me?" I thought to myself, and tried to make it obvious that I saw  
  
her staring at me, but she didn't seem to care.  
  
"We'll guard the back doors, definitely," I heard Lucil saying from somewhere.  
  
"Wakka and me will be right up there with her," the grim lady was saying, but I wasn't  
  
completely listening.  
  
We just stood there, staring. Finally, I shook my head at her and tried to snap into the  
  
conversation that I was supposed to be in.  
  
"Wait a minute!" the Al Bhed girl said then, breaking the conversation, "Don't I know  
  
you?"  
  
She was pointing the question at me, and all of the others had now begun to stare at me  
  
also. I felt myself blush, and was cursing the Al Bhed girl in my mind. "No, I have no idea who  
  
you are!" ran through my head, "Don't make me stand out anymore than I already am!"  
  
It was really then that it became clearest to me at how embarrassed I truly was of being an  
  
Al Bhed.  
  
"Wait a minute!" the girl said again, and pranced up to me, looking at me close, "I know  
  
you! You're Vance!"  
  
"Hey, how'd you know that?" I asked, and Lucil and Elma, as well as the High  
  
Summoner's guardians just stared at us.  
  
"Duh!" the girl said, giving a little giggle, "I'm Rikku! Cid's daughter! Don't you  
  
remember me?"  
  
It hit me then. "Rikku!" I said, "Hey, how are you?"  
  
"You two know each other?" the man I supposed to be Sir Wakka asked us.  
  
"Sure do!" Rikku said, and I hadn't realized until then how much I missed her  
  
cheerfulness, "I helped Vance out a lot when we were younger! You any better with machina?"  
  
I blushed. "Nope. Not a single bit," I replied.  
  
"You're a chocobo knight! That's awesome! You must be like the first Al Bhed  
  
Chocobo Knight, right?"  
  
I blushed again. "I'm not Al Bhed!" my head screamed at her. I knew I was though, and  
  
it was something I'd just have to live with.  
  
"Well, you're an Al Bhed guardian!" I said, "Wow, that's cool."  
  
"I'm also Yunie's cousin!" she giggled. Her smile faded then, and she looked at me with  
  
intensity in her eyes. She blinked a couple of times then, and smiled again.  
  
"I'm afraid your little reunion is going to have to wait," Lady Lulu said, and Rikku's  
  
mouth snapped shut.  
  
Lucil smiled. "Well," she said, "we'll make sure Lady Yuna's wedding goes by  
  
smoothly. It'll be perfect."  
  
I looked over at Rikku, and noticed she was scowling. I wondered why. It was really  
  
great to see her. She had been my only friend back at Home, and I greatly respected her. After  
  
all, she could handle machina better than most Al Bheds. She was definitely much better at it  
  
than me. I smiled, however, and thought: "I bet I'd kick her rear any day in a chocobo race!"   
  
The door opened again, however, and Lady Yuna walked out then. She came in, quickly,  
  
wearing a smile. It was the same smile that I had seen that morning on the sphere, and I found  
  
myself studying it, trying to figure out what was off.  
  
Her face had a familiar form, and I wondered about this for a little bit, and then  
  
remembered what Rikku had said about Yuna and her being cousins. "They must have the same  
  
face shape," I thought to myself.  
  
Lady Yuna shook Lucil's hand, and then Elma's, and then shook mine. To most people,  
  
it would have been an honor to shake her hand, but to me, it was just another handshake. The  
  
important thing, the unbelievable thing, was the fact that I was here, shaking her hand, practically  
  
one of her guardians.   
  
Only two months ago, I'd been a chocobo trainer in the Calm Lands, barely getting by.   
  
Now, I was standing here in shiny armor, with a badge to prove my importance, and shaking the  
  
summoner's hand.  
  
"I trust you all have everything figured out?" she said with a smile. It was a slightly  
  
different smile than the two others, but something was still off.  
  
"Yuna," Lady Lulu said, in an almost motherly tone, "You just worry about the wedding,  
  
and leave the rest to us, okay?"  
  
Lady Yuna nodded, but I couldn't help but realize how distracted she looked. Rikku was  
  
staring at her too, with a worried look on her face.  
  
"Congratulations on everything!" Lucil said then, breaking off my stare.  
  
Yuna smiled, the same missing-something smile, and said, in a quiet tone, "Thank you."  
  
I figured she was just shy. Like me. However, something about the look in her eyes told  
  
me that she was thinking about something, but wasn't about to tell us what it was.  
  
I stifled yet another yawn, wondering how long this little "meeting" would last. I just  
  
wanted to get started. I let my mind wander elsewhere, to me, fighting off a bunch of people  
  
with a sword, even though I still could barely handle one, and saving the wedding.  
  
I snapped back to reality then, deciding that it would be best if I didn't let my mind  
  
wander. Rikku was looking off into the distance too, and I wondered what it was she was  
  
thinking about. Lady Yuna too, seemed to be deep in thought, although she nodded her head  
  
every now and then as Lucil told her the plan. I knew I myself should have been focusing on  
  
whatever the plan was, but I was too busy wondering what it was that Rikku had on her mind.  
  
"Dang-it, Rikku!" I found myself thinking, "Must you always distract me?"  
  
"Then it's settled," Lucil said, breaking into not only my thoughts, but also Rikku's,  
  
"Does everyone understand?"   
  
I had no idea what was going on, but I nodded anyway. I didn't want them to know I  
  
hadn't been paying attention after all. If there was one thing I hated more than being Al Bhed, it  
  
was getting unwanted attention.  
  
Rikku nodded too, and I had been praying that she'd ask. She looked at me though, and  
  
gave me an obvious confused smile, and then laughed silently, almost as if she was giving me  
  
some sort of sign language.  
  
"Goodbye, and take care Lady Yuna!" Lucil said cheerfully as Rikku waved, and the  
  
group left, back into the door, Lady Yuna leading, followed by the ronso, Rikku running up  
  
ahead, and Sir Wakka and Lady Lulu deep in conversation.  
  
"So, where's the husband-to-be?" I found myself asking then, and was surprised that I  
  
wasn't asking about the plan.  
  
"Oh, he's taking care of other things, I'm sure," Lucil said, smiling, "Quite an odd bunch,  
  
don't you think?"  
  
"It's amazing though, you and Lady Rikku knowing each other, isn't it?" Elma said to  
  
me, smiling.  
  
"Yeah," I said, finding myself feeling rather distracted, "So, uh, should we like, I don't  
  
know, go over the plan, or something?"  
  
"Sounds good," Lucil said, as if thinking, "Elma, Vance and you should go over the plan,  
  
okay?"  
  
Elma nodded.  
  
"I'm going to go check on the troops!" Lucil exited the temple, and I watched from the  
  
window as she gave Sheea and Elma's chocobo a pat, and then got on her own and left.  
  
"Okay," Elma said with a yawn, "You and I will stay back, and there will be troops  
  
posted all over. The wedding is going to be broadcasted on sphere, so it's invitation or nothing.   
  
So, the troops ask to see invitations. Then, what do you do?"  
  
"Uh," I said, and should have known that Elma was going to quiz me, "I...I uh..."  
  
"You make sure that there's no one in there without an invitation!" Elma said, and rolled  
  
her eyes at me, "And if there's an attack, you..."  
  
"I...I..."  
  
"I wasn't paying attention," Elma finished for me, smiling a nice, smug smile, "I knew  
  
it!"  
  
"You get the rest of the troops to help. Half of them cause the guests, the other half  
  
attack."  
  
"But if they didn't go over fighting..." I said slowly, "How are they going to be much  
  
help?"  
  
"They'll use their common sense," Elma said, "If they have any, at least..."  
  
"Then what do I do?" I asked, now that it was out that I hadn't been paying attention.  
  
Elma smiled, "It's slingshot time!" She laughed, and then said, "Hopefully they'll be  
  
guys! I want to see you hit one in their area!"  
  
I smiled too, and felt my had reach to my sling just to make sure it was still there.   
  
Together, my sling and I had been through quite a bit.  
  
"So, that's it, got all that?" Elma said, "'Cause I'd really like the rest of the day off, to go  
  
celebrate Lady Yuna's wedding! Just think Vance, only a select amount of people got  
  
invitations, and we're practically one of them!"  
  
"Hey, does that mean we have to get dressed up?" I asked, sticking my tongue out at the  
  
thought.  
  
Elma laughed, "No worries," she said, "We'll be in full armor! Ready to protect the High  
  
Summoner!" She nodded at me then, as to dismiss me, and went out the door, and jumped on  
  
her chocobo's back and was off.  
  
"Rest of the day off," I muttered to myself, wondering when it was I'd get to see some  
  
action. I didn't know why, but for some reason I highly doubted that there would be any trouble  
  
at Lady Yuna's wedding. In fact, I was positive that there would be little trouble.   
  
I was just about to leave, when Rikku exited from the door.  
  
"Hey Vance!" she said, greeting me.  
  
I turned around and smiled my 'hello.'  
  
She smiled at me then, and said, "Whatchya been up to?"  
  
"Not much," I said, "After I left Home, I moved to the Calm Lands, and I was a chocobo  
  
trainer. Then, just two months ago, I joined the chocobo knights."  
  
Rikku laughed, and said, "Chocobos! How perfect for you!"  
  
I gave her a friendly shove, and said, "Wanna race sometime?"  
  
"Only if you race some machina!" she said with a giggle.  
  
"Wanna know what I really want?" I said, not knowing why, but suddenly felt like telling  
  
someone, besides Sheea.  
  
"What?" Rikku asked.  
  
"I want to Blitz," I said, a dreaming look coming into my eyes.  
  
"Hey! You may be in luck!" she said, "Wakka's team, you know the Aurochs, need a  
  
player to fill in! You could be their bench warmer and practice with them and everything!"  
  
"Seriously?" I said, my eyes brightening.  
  
"Yeah, seriously," Rikku said, "'Course, you couldn't be a chocobo knight anymore."  
  
My heart did sink a little. And I had already climbed this high.  
  
"Well, I'd have to think on it," I said.  
  
Rikku laughed, "I'll talk to Wakka about it later!"  
  
A moment of silence passed between us, before I finally asked her what she'd been up to,  
  
and what fighting Sin was like. When I mentioned Sin however, her bright face dimmed.  
  
"Uh, I don't really want to talk about that right now," she said, "But lately I've just been  
  
hanging out with Yunie, and...I don't know, being bored, I guess."  
  
"So, you're excited about Lady Yuna's wedding, right?"  
  
At this Rikku burst out laughing. "Yeah right!" she said, "Have you ever met stupid  
  
Pinelli? He is such a.... a... a jerk!"  
  
I was shocked. Rikku must be the only one besides me who wasn't excited about Yuna's  
  
wedding.   
  
"So you don't want them to marry?"  
  
Rikku let her eyes roll. "Of course not. It's stupid, really. Yunie thinks that if she goes  
  
off marrying this goon, then people will be happy, and all of the Yevonites will be satisfied.   
  
Then, they're going to offer her, and stupid Pinelli a spot as Maesters of Spira, and Yuna's going  
  
to turn them down, to satisfy those Anti-Yevon Weirdos. So, she's not even doing this for  
  
herself."  
  
"How can she just marry some guy to satisfy others?" I asked, trying to take everything  
  
in.  
  
"Look Vance," Rikku said in a tiny voice, "When you've been through what she's been  
  
through, you kind of stop caring about yourself. Got it?"  
  
I nodded, as if I understood, but truly I was quite confused.  
  
"Anyway," Rikku said, still with that small voice, "It's hard to think about it now.   
  
Especially since we can basically wash the idea of Yunie marrying for love out of our heads."  
  
"Why's that?" I said, and, trying to cheer my old friend up, said, "I'm sure there's  
  
someone out there for her!"  
  
She glared at me in a flash, and said, "No there isn't!" Then, she stomped back through  
  
that door, saying something under her breath in Al Bhed. I wished I still understood the  
  
language, but I didn't.  
  
"Well, bye Rikku," I said before she shut the door, not knowing what I'd said.  
  
"Bye," she said, and slammed the door shut, leaving me standing there, looking, and  
  
feeling, quite confused.  
  
I was still standing there, when the door inched open again, and Rikku came back out,  
  
looking at the floor.  
  
"Actually," she whispered, "there is someone for Yunie."  
  
"Who?" I said, letting my curiosity get the best of me, and then bit my tongue, "I mean,  
  
what?"  
  
"His name was Tidus," she whispered, and kept looking to see if anyone was coming,  
  
"Promise me you won't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you, okay?"  
  
"Okay," I said slowly, somehow not wanting to get involved, but at the same time curious  
  
to know what it was that Rikku was talking about.  
  
"Here, come with me!" Rikku said, and grabbed my arm. The next thing I knew, Rikku  
  
was dragging me outside, past Sheea, who gave me a curious look, but then returned to her food,  
  
and out onto a balcony, overlooking a gorgeous garden.  
  
People were everywhere out in the garden, planting and watering, and adding a large  
  
parapet.  
  
"What's going on here?" I asked.  
  
Rikku's eyes rolled. "This is where the wedding's going to be held." Her voice was  
  
dreary, and I realized that this whole wedding idea really had Rikku down.  
  
"So, uh," I said, looking up at the sky, "What about this Tidus guy?"  
  
"Oh, right," Rikku said, and looked around again, "See, Yuna actually had two more  
  
guardians."  
  
"She did?"  
  
"Yeah, Sir Auron, surely you've heard of him, and then Tidus. Anyway, Sir Auron was  
  
dead...I guess, and Tidus disappeared."  
  
I laughed, but stopped when I saw the serious look on Rikku's face.   
  
"He just disappeared?" I asked, biting my lip to keep myself from smiling.  
  
"Yeah. It's kind of a long story. Um...Let's just say that Tidus' departure kind of...hurt  
  
Yunie." Rikku looked at the ground then, and back to the many workers who were preparing for  
  
the High Summoner's wedding.  
  
"Rikku," I found myself asking, "Why do you care? I mean, if he's gone, he's gone."  
  
"That's just it!" Rikku said, "He has to be somewhere, doesn't he? I mean, you can't just  
  
disappear! Look, I don't think he's at the farplane or anything."  
  
"Have you even checked?" I asked, looking away from Rikku and appearing to be in  
  
thought.  
  
Rikku blushed. "That place gives me the creeps, alright! But, Wakka and Lulu have  
  
gone there in the last two years, and they haven't said anything about Tidus."  
  
"Maybe they just don't want to bring it up," I suggested, wondering how it was that  
  
Rikku could be so ignorant of the facts, "People don't disappear, Rikku. It just doesn't happen.   
  
Are you sure he didn't just die or something, and for some reason you think he disappeared?"  
  
"Ah! I thought you might be able to help!" Rikku said loudly, "I don't want Yunie to  
  
marry, and I seem to be the only one who cares! Wakka and Lulu are being so dumb about the  
  
whole idea, and who knows what Kimarhi's thinking! It's just not right! I want Yunie to be  
  
happy!"  
  
"Maybe she is," I said bluntly, "She sure smiles enough."  
  
I thought Rikku was going to explode.   
  
"THAT"S JUST IT!" she nearly yelled at me, "None of those smiles are real! They're all  
  
just fake! So everyone thinks that Yuna is happy, but she's not! Oh, and before you go on  
  
saying, "Oh, how would you know," I do know!"  
  
"None of those smiles are real." Rikku's words played over and over in my head. I  
  
knew it then. That's what had been missing in all of Yuna's smiles. True happiness. I knew it  
  
then, in my heart, that Yuna wasn't happy.  
  
My head shook, and I said, "Look Rikku, there's not much we can do now. She's getting  
  
married in what, two days, and she can't just disappoint all of Spira. Not now. Not when they're  
  
so happy."  
  
I was sure I could feel Rikku's heart sink. I could see it in her eyes. She turned around  
  
and looked at the gardens, with a sad expression on her face.  
  
"You're right, Vance," she said, "You are completely right. Yunie got herself into this,  
  
and there's no way I can get her out of it. Not now."  
  
Rikku stomped off then, but I called her back. Her eyes rolled again, and she stomped  
  
back over to me.  
  
"What now?" she said, looking annoyed.  
  
"Do you think someone will try to crash the wedding?" I asked, almost more for my own  
  
well-being than hers.  
  
"I sure hope so," she said, more to herself then to me.  
  
"If someone does," I said slowly, "Maybe the wedding will be postponed. Then, it'll give  
  
you more time to stop the wedding."  
  
Rikku nodded slowly, taking in what I had told her.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so," she said, and then smiled, "Yeah! I sure hope someone attacks!   
  
Anyway, see ya later, Vance-o!"  
  
"Uh, yeah, see you," I said, waving as she skipped off. "Well, at least I'm no longer the  
  
only one who is hoping for someone to crash the wedding!" 


	3. The Wedding

Thanks so much Vchanny for being my first to review! It really meant a lot to me! I didn't think I'd care much if I got a review or not, but I really like them anyway! Don't be afraid to give me any suggestions either!

All characters are from Final Fantasy X and don't belong to me! Vance is my own character!

Chapter 3: The Wedding  
  
"This is the happiest day of my entire life!" Elma cried, as we found ourselves heading  
  
toward the gardens, on our chocobos, ready for action that I supposed would never come.  
  
We had just set up the troops, and wedding guests were already arriving, all dressed up in  
  
their fancy outfits. Sphere camera crews were set up everywhere, interviewing people and  
  
getting shots of the gardens.   
  
Elma was beaming, and Lucil had been earlier, when we had left her. In fact, all of the  
  
troops seemed to be beaming, and all over them excited.  
  
"Well Rikku," I thought as we made our way toward the gardens, "Good luck canceling  
  
the wedding now."  
  
"HALT!" someone ordered us from behind, which made my thoughts immediately stop.   
  
Elma and me turned our chocobos around sharply, and saw a priest of some sort standing there.   
  
He was old and bald, and came up to us quickly.  
  
"Lady Yuna's orders," he said, "are for you to forget this whole thing. I was ordered to  
  
tell you. You are to release your troops at once."  
  
"Yeah right," Elma said, looking at him with suspicion in her eyes, "We're going to need  
  
more proof than just your word, I'm afraid. And, besides that, we haven't time for you."  
  
The old man smiled, and Elma turned around, obviously thinking about what good an old  
  
man could do.  
  
I didn't turn around so quickly, however, and noticed out of the corner of my eye that the  
  
man had pulled out a machina weapon, and was readying an aim for Elma.  
  
Quickly, with no time to spare, I grabbed some gil out of my pocket with one hand, my  
  
sling with the other, and aimed quickly. One piece of gil hit the man in the eye, another on his  
  
nose, and the last three on his head. Elma had by now turned around, and I ordered Sheea to  
  
bend down, as I scooped up a large rock, and aimed it at the man's weapon, knocking it out of his  
  
hands.  
  
Elma smiled, and jumped off of her chocobo, and then picked the weapon up. She then  
  
grabbed the man's arm and dragged him to her chocobo, tying his arms to its reigns.  
  
"Nice job Vance!" she praised me, and I smiled, glad that I'd had a least a little bit of  
  
action so far. Still, I knew that this old man's threats weren't going to be enough to postpone the  
  
wedding. I didn't care if Lady Yuna married or not, but I knew Rikku did. And I owed Rikku  
  
my life. After all, she had been my only friend.  
  
"I'm going to take him to Lucil, and see what I should do from there," Elma then said, as  
  
she jumped back onto her chocobo, "You take care of everything else, okay? Keep your eyes  
  
open!"  
  
She ran off then, dragging the old man behind.  
  
I smiled, glad that I'd at least done something, and then jumped off Sheea. I decided that  
  
maybe I should stock up on some ammo, being that I wasn't made of gil.   
  
I grabbed some different sized rocks, and stuffed them in a pouch on my ammo. I  
  
grabbed some larger ones, and put them in the sheath with my sword, guessing to myself that the  
  
sword would only be used if my sling didn't seem to work.  
  
I ran on ahead then, deciding that I'd stalled enough. The gardens were filling up fast,  
  
and the many people involved in the wedding were readying themselves. The talk was all on the  
  
bride, or so it seemed.  
  
I went over to my post, which was an area somewhat higher than the gardens, and rather  
  
out of the way, so that if someone were to pull something, I could see them, and jump down to  
  
help, but they couldn't see me.  
  
I had just jumped off Sheea, when I felt someone poke me from behind. I jumped a bit,  
  
grabbed my sling, and turned around swiftly.  
  
"Rikku!" I said, when I realized who it was, and lowered my sling, "What are you  
  
doing?"  
  
It was Rikku standing there, and she giggled. "Scared you, huh?" she said, and smiled,  
  
but then had her smile disappear.  
  
"What now?" I asked, trying to conceal a smile as I looked at her dress. It was pink and  
  
had little ruffles on it.  
  
"Hey!" she said, "Stop staring! Lulu and Yunie thought it looked cute, and I'm in the  
  
wedding, so, you know..."  
  
I smiled then, and said, "You're going to be in a wedding that you don't even like?"  
  
Rikku smiled back and said, "Hey, if the groom trips, you'll know who did it."  
  
"Shouldn't you be down there?" I asked then, and looked at all of the people who had  
  
flooded into the area just while Rikku and I were talking.  
  
"Yeah," Rikku said drearily, "But I have to tell you something first. Wakka told me to  
  
find Lucil, but she was busy. And I saw you come up here, so I decided to tell you instead.   
  
Anyway, last night, that stupid Pinelli got some kind of threat on his life. I said, "Oh, who  
  
cares," but that just got me in trouble by Wakka. Anyway, the threat was not only for Pinelli, but  
  
for Yunie too. Wakka told me to tell Lucil that even if it was a threat, he can tell Yunie's  
  
worried about it, but she's not letting us know. So, keep your eyes open, okay?"  
  
She was the second person that day who had told me to keep my eyes open.   
  
"Thanks for the tip," I said, smiling, hoping that whoever had threatened would try to  
  
make it real, and then closed my eyes, knowing it was wrong to hope for such a thing.  
  
"Look," Rikku said with a smile, "The reason I'm telling you this is 'cause I'm worried  
  
about Yunie. As for Pinelli, it'd be better if you let him die."  
  
"Rikku!" I said, not understanding how she could hate someone that much, "Do you want  
  
me to lose my job?"  
  
Rikku smiled, "No...I'm just kidding, you know! Anyway, I guess it's about time I got  
  
down there. By the way, if anything does happen, you can bet I'll be there to help, got it?"  
  
"Got it," I said, "It'll be good to have some more experienced people. Let's just say our  
  
troops aren't the best fighters in the world."  
  
She smiled, said goodbye, and then ran off, trying to ignore her long flowing dress. I  
  
smiled, thinking of her in that dress.  
  
A terrible thought entered my mind, then, as I realized that Rikku had distracted me for  
  
quite some time. If something had happened, even something little, I would have missed it.  
  
"Well Vance-O" I thought, using the nickname Rikku had called me two days before,  
  
"From now on, keep those eyes open!"

Time seemed to drag on then as I took in everything, watching everyone who entered  
  
carefully. My thoughts wandered, but for the most part I tried to keep them under control. I had  
  
climbed too high to risk losing everything because I hadn't paid attention.  
  
I was so into watching, that I didn't hear someone coming toward me until I heard Sheea  
  
give a nervous squawk. I turned around sharply, readying my sling as I did so.  
  
It was just a fellow knight, however, but he appeared to be nervous.  
  
I saluted him, and he saluted back.  
  
"Uh, Vance," he said, sounding nervous, "Something's gone a little wrong, I'm afraid."  
  
"What?" I asked, snapping to attention.  
  
"I'm afraid Elma's been injured," he said, not looking me in the eyes.  
  
"Elma?" I said, shocked, "Is she hurt badly?"  
  
"No," he said, "but she was hurt. She says some old man did it, but he wasn't really an  
  
old man. She said it was some type of disguise."  
  
"So, he escaped?" I asked, knowing precisely who the old man was.  
  
"Yes, he did, and we are sure there are others out there with him."  
  
"Who's on this?" I asked then, trying to sound as if I knew what to do, and suddenly  
  
wondering if I really wanted to see any action.  
  
"The entire East Side of troops," he answered.  
  
"Okay," I said, "How about Lucil, how's she?"  
  
"She's fine, Sir. She's on the opposite side of you, helping to keep watch. Not only that,  
  
but see that sphere," he was now pointing to the giant sphere in the front, "That's not just for the  
  
wedding. It's connected to plenty of other little spheres, and there are people watching the  
  
spheres at all times. If a red flag goes up over there," he now pointed to a post on the wedding  
  
parapet, "That means to go to main floor, because something's wrong."  
  
I smiled, wondering why I was only now finding all of this out. Had I not been paying  
  
attention earlier?  
  
"Okay, thanks for the news," I said, and saluted him off.  
  
I returned to my watch, although now I knew a little more of what I was watching for. It  
  
bugged me that Elma had been injured, but I wasn't worried about it. That old man, or whatever  
  
he was, would definitely be avenged. That old man...  
  
Something hadn't been right about him. He had been built like an old man, but  
  
something told me he wasn't. I knew Elma. No old man could take her on. He had to have been  
  
either an incredibly strong old man, or he wasn't an old man at all.  
  
What kind of disguise had he been in? By now I was quite confused, and was wondering  
  
to myself by now if I really did know what it was I was looking for. Once more, my thoughts  
  
were interrupted, as suddenly the giant sphere flicked on, showing the entire garden area, instead  
  
of the interviews and such that it had been showing earlier. I noticed that no one was coming in  
  
anymore, and decided that it must be time to begin.  
  
"Ladies and Gentleman!" a voice boomed over the sphere, "Now, the moment you've all  
  
been waiting for!"  
  
There was an excited silence that fell over the setting, and I knew that now was the time  
  
to keep my eyes opened, before anything could happen to the bride, or the groom.  
  
Curiosity overfilled me as I thought of the groom. I didn't think I cared, but now I was  
  
feeling somewhat anxious to finally see him.  
  
I knew in Bevelle weddings like these, the people in the wedding came out first, and then  
  
the bride and the groom came out together. I decided to be on extra guard when the bride and  
  
groom came out.  
  
The hair on my arms had risen, for now I was positive something was going to happen. I  
  
had my sling out and loaded, ready to go. Sheea's reigns were in my hand, and I was ready to  
  
jump into action at any given moment.  
  
The wedding had started now, and people who I didn't recognize walked down the aisle,  
  
and soon I saw Rikku, with a scowl on her face, and Kimarhi, as well as Wakka and Lulu. Pretty  
  
soon everybody had come out, except for the bride and the groom, and so far things had occurred  
  
without anything going wrong.  
  
There was a hush in the audience then, and I noticed that many people had tears of joy  
  
streaming down their faces. I stole the quickest glance at Rikku, who was standing there looking  
  
very angry.  
  
Everybody waited then, all holding their breath, anxious to see the bride and groom. I  
  
waited too. However, they didn't come out.  
  
There was a murmur through the audience, and I glanced up at the sphere, only to see a  
  
red flag being risen.  
  
"Great," I said out loud, and jumped on Sheea's back, saying, "Come on Girl, there's  
  
something wrong.  
  
Sheea and me jumped down off of our section, and so did many other knights, including  
  
Lucil.  
  
"Everybody split up," Lucil barked, "The summoner's missing!" She caught my eye and  
  
nodded to me. She headed off toward the direction that Yuna should have come from, and I  
  
headed the opposite way.  
  
Most of the confused knights followed Lucil, leaving me very little back up. However, as  
  
I raced toward the opposite exit, I saw Rikku.  
  
"Hey Rikku!" I cried down to her, "Jump on! We've got to find Yuna!"  
  
She grabbed a hold of Sheea's feathers and climbed on behind me.  
  
"Where do you think she is?" Rikku asked nervously.  
  
"We're going to check this way," I said, "Are Wakka and Lulu looking for her too?"  
  
"Yeah!" Rikku said, and Sheea burst off, with me steering.  
  
"Where should we check?" I asked Rikku, trying to ignore the commotion that had been  
  
caused by all of this.  
  
"Ooh! I know," Rikku said, "Check the cloister! I heard Yunie saying something about  
  
that earlier."  
  
I nodded, and, forgetting all formalities, raced into the temple still on Sheea's back. We  
  
raced past unhappy priests, and toward the cloisters.  
  
"Oh great!" I cried, noticing that there was machina machina guarding the doors.  
  
"Leave those to me!" she cried, jumping off of Sheea and running up to them. She gave  
  
them a little kick and just like that they fell apart. She then ran ahead, and accessed a little  
  
machina access pad.   
  
The doors flew open, and she quickly jumped back on behind me. We ran down a  
  
number of stairs, and into the strange cloister, which was no longer in use.  
  
"To the chamber of the Fayth!" she said, and we ran through the strange maze to the  
  
chamber. As soon as we entered, three men attacked us, however.  
  
"Oh no!" Rikku cried, but I was already prepared. I fired at them, hitting them in their  
  
lower areas, for Elma.  
  
Then, with the larger ones, I hit them all in the heads, knocking them cold.  
  
"Know how to fight with a sword?" I asked Rikku, who was staring at me with a shocked  
  
expression on her face.  
  
"Kind of," she answered, and I unsheathed my sword, and handed it to her.  
  
"Come on!" I cried, and we jumped off of Sheea and ran into the small little room where  
  
the guardians waited, "Yuna's got to be here!"  
  
We ran over to the large stone that blocked the entrance to the fayth, and I heard Rikku  
  
give a nervous giggle.  
  
"What's funny?" I asked, as we attempted to lift it.  
  
"Oh, just that the last time Yuna attempted to get married, it was here that we found her.   
  
That's why I said we should come here. I didn't really think Yunie could be here!"   
  
Together Rikku and were able to lift it just a ways, and I had Sheea hold it open, as we  
  
slid under the small opening that Rikku and I had managed.  
  
"Yunie!" I heard Rikku say, being that she was the first one in.  
  
I crawled in then, and saw Rikku hugging Yuna, who seemed just fine. There were two  
  
other men in there, all knocked out cold.  
  
"Uh..." I said, coming in slowly.  
  
"Vance, look, it's Yunie!" Rikku said, "Yunie! What happened!"  
  
Yuna looked up at me, and then back at Rikku, and then to the men that were knocked  
  
unconscious.  
  
"Well, Pinelli and I were waiting for our cue, you know, to come out, and then we were  
  
taken from behind," Yuna explained quickly, "I was knocked unconscious, and when I awoke, I  
  
was here. I don't know where Pinelli is."  
  
"What about these guys?" I asked.  
  
Yuna smiled. "Let's just say I gave them what they deserved.  
  
"That's my Yunie!" Rikku said, and hugged her cousin again.  
  
"Are you hurt?" I asked Yuna.  
  
"My head throbs a bit," she admitted, "But nothing terrible."  
  
Rikku looked at me, and said, "We better let everybody else know you're okay."  
  
Yuna nodded, and stood up. She had been kneeling, and really didn't look as good,  
  
although she smiled when she first saw us. Still, I saw some pain in her eyes.  
  
"Are you sure you aren't hurt?" I asked again, "It...it just seems as if you're pained about  
  
something."  
  
Yuna blushed, and looked away from me.  
  
"Yeah Yunie," Rikku said, and then looked mad, "You're not worried about Pinelli, are  
  
you?"  
  
"Well..." Yuna said, "I didn't ever want to go back to that place." She looked behind her  
  
at the door to the fayth and shuddered, as if remembering something that she didn't want to  
  
remember.  
  
"You look nice Yunie," Rikku tried, obviously trying to make her feel better.  
  
Yuna smiled a small smile, one of those that missed happiness, and said "thank you" to  
  
her quirky cousin.  
  
"So, let's say Pinelli isn't found..." Rikku said to her cousin as I took care of our  
  
prisoners, "Does that mean the wedding will be postponed?"  
  
I thought Yuna was going to cry at this.  
  
"All of those people will be so upset," she said, looking at the ground. We were now  
  
exiting the cloisters, with me watching the prisoners carefully, as I remembered what had  
  
happened to Elma.  
  
"Stop thinking of the people!" Rikku said then, "Yunie, can't you just do what you  
  
want?"  
  
Yuna looked at her cousin, and said, "Not now I can't, Rikku. You should understand."  
  
"Will the wedding be postponed?" Rikku asked again, "And what if Pinelli can't be  
  
found?"  
  
Yuna looked away from Rikku. "Yes Rikku, the wedding will be postponed. But I'm  
  
sure Pinelli is around. They'll find him."  
  
We now exited the temple, and people were everywhere. As soon as they saw Yuna,  
  
however, in her radiant wedding dress, they all cheered, and Rikku bowed, even though it wasn't  
  
really her show.  
  
Lucil came running up then and beamed at me brightly.  
  
"Lady Yuna!" she said, running over to the High Summoner, "Are you alright?"  
  
"I'm fine," Yuna said, looking at Rikku and me.  
  
"Troops!" Lucil yelled in a high, shrill voice, take care of these four men.  
  
"Any news on Pinelli?" Rikku asked, and I saw her cross her fingers. I guessed that she  
  
was hoping the answer was a "no."  
  
Lucil looked sadly at the ground. "I'm afraid not," she said, and for a second I was sure  
  
she was going to cry.  
  
Yuna walked in front of all of us then, and cleared her throat.  
  
"Everybody," she said, and the murmur that was running through the area immediately  
  
died down, "I am tragically sorry, but, well...The wedding has been canceled."  
  
People began to talk again, and I saw some people begin to cry. I looked over at Rikku,  
  
and the happiness in her eyes seemed to disappear. She obviously was happy that Yuna wasn't  
  
getting married, but she was still upset that everybody else was upset.  
  
"However," Yuna continued, "The wedding will still continue. I'll make sure of that. In  
  
the meantime, I promise that we'll be preparing for a nicer wedding...A much nicer wedding. So,  
  
don't be sad. Next time will be even better." She looked behind her, and looked straight at me,  
  
and said, "In fact, next time will be perfect."  
  
Yuna nodded to Rikku then, and went back into the temple. Wakka and Lulu came  
  
forward, as well as Kimarhi, and they followed Yuna into the temple.  
  
Rikku looked at me, and stalled for a while, as the many disappointed people went the  
  
opposite way of Yuna, all murmuring to themselves.  
  
"Troops," Lucil said in her same shrill voice, "We are not resting until Sir Pinelli is  
  
found! Got that!" She rode off, as well as the many other troops, all murmuring about how they  
  
could find Pinelli if they didn't know what he looked like.  
  
In no time at all, the entrance to the temple was bare, with few people left. Basically, it  
  
was just Rikku and me.  
  
Rikku came walking over to me, and said, "Oh...Uh, by the way, I told Wakka you  
  
wanted to blitz. He said you could train with them if you wanted too, but..."  
  
"But I'll have to quit the chocobo knights," I finished for her, "When can I give Wakka  
  
my answer?"  
  
"I'm guessing we'll leave tomorrow," Rikku said, "My dad's gonna take us home on his  
  
airship. You'll have to come along, too."  
  
"Where's "home"?" I asked then.  
  
"For now, it's Besaid Island," Rikku said, and then said hurriedly, "I'll see you later. Tell  
  
me your answer then, okay?"  
  
I nodded, and said goodbye to Rikku. Right before entering the temple, she turned  
  
around and said something to me in Al Bhed. I felt myself blush, but smiled anyway as if I  
  
understood what it was she said. I felt terrible for not knowing.  
  
As if to fit the mood, I then realized that the sunny weather that had been out before had  
  
turned to clouds, and it was beginning to sprinkle.   
  
I didn't care if it was raining, and I didn't care if we were supposed to be searching for  
  
Pinelli. The only thing on my mind now was Blitzball.  
  
I had always wanted to play, and now was my chance. Yet, I had gone so far in just two  
  
months for the chocobo knights. Was I really ready to throw all of that away? I took a deep  
  
breath and decided that I should talk to Lucil about it. Maybe she would understand, and  
  
somehow let me do both. Something in my heart, however, told me there was no way for me to  
  
do both. I knew I'd have to choose one, and I'd have to choose one soon.


	4. An Unsuspected Visitor

Yay! This story is finally getting to where I want it to get. I loved the ending of the chapter, and I almost had a hard time ending it! Tell me what you think!! (Guess I'd better let you read it first, huh!)

Only Vance and a few others belong to me, while the rest are characters of Final Fantasy X!

Chapter 4: An Unsuspected Visitor   
  
"Uh, Captain?" I said, walking Sheea up to the flushing Lucil.  
  
"Oh, Vance. Nice job earlier. I'll give you proper recognition later. Now, do what you  
  
can and find the missing groom!"  
  
"No, uh, Captain," I said, "I need to talk to you about something important."  
  
"I'm sorry Vance," Lucil said, and then ordered some troops to continue looking, "But  
  
right now I'm a little busy. Our whole reputation could be ruined if Sir Pinelli isn't found soon!"  
  
"I know Captain, and I'm sorry, but...This can't wait until later."  
  
Lucil finally stopped barking orders for a little bit and turned and faced me.  
  
"What is it?" she asked, and I noticed the annoyance in her voice.  
  
"Rikku told me-"  
  
"Even if she is your friend," Lucil said, "She should still be called, "Lady Rikku."'  
  
"Sorry," I said, feeling myself blush, "I mean, "Lady Rikku" told me that I could play  
  
Blitzball for the Aurochs. You see, it's something-"  
  
"Absolutely not! We need you!" Lucil screamed before I could finish, "Elma's going to  
  
be out for a while, and you're the only other person who knows what they are doing!"  
  
"Yeah, but..." I said, but knew it was hopeless. Even if I did decide to completely give up   
  
being a chocobo knight, now wasn't the time to do it. Lucil needed me, and she depended on me.   
  
As of now, I was second-in-command, and there was no one who could take my spot.  
  
Another rider rode up to us then, and said, "The people of Spira have requested that we  
  
send an "undercover" knight along with them for extra protection of the Lady Yuna. The High  
  
Summoner's guardians are not too terribly happy about this, but Lady Yuna's orders are that if  
  
it'll make the people of Spira feel better, then we are to send in an undercover agent."  
  
"This is just what I need!" Lucil yelled sarcastically, "Where am I to find someone to  
  
keep an eye on the summoner while being undercover?"  
  
"I know!" I put in, not believing my luck, "If I play Blitzball with the Aurochs, but am  
  
really keeping an eye on Lady Yuna, then I could be your undercover agent!"  
  
Lucil looked at me for a while, and sighed.  
  
"As for now," she said, looking upset, "I suppose you are my only option. Tennei, go tell  
  
the High Summoner's guardians that Vance here," she said, looking at me, "will be their  
  
undercover agent. Explain that he is to play Blitzball with the Aurochs, but is really there to keep  
  
an eye out. Got it?"  
  
Tennei nodded, and rushed off, and Lucil turned back to me.  
  
She looked rather unhappy, and I did feel sorry for her, but at the same time wasn't  
  
believing my luck. I was going to play Blitzball and be a chocobo knight at the same time! What  
  
could possibly get better?  
  
Lucil sighed, and saluted me, and I saluted back.  
  
"I will send a knight to check on you every now and then. There is an old Crusader  
  
chapter in Besaid, and if you need any help, seek out some retired Crusaders. Got it?"   
  
"Got it!" I replied. We saluted once more, and Lucil sighed again.  
  
"Go prepare to leave," she said, "Oh, and as for Sheea, I'll see that she is treated well."  
  
It was then that it hit me that I'd have to leave my chocobo. I looked down at her, and  
  
Sheea looked back up at me, with her large, solemn eyes.   
  
"Sorry Girl," I said, "But duty calls."  
  
I handed her reigns over to Lucil and said my final goodbyes. After all, it wasn't really as  
  
if I was leaving for good. I'd be back, someday.

"Vance!" Rikku said, greeting me at the temple's entrance, "How exciting is this?   
  
You're going to play Blitzball and be a Chocobo Knight!"  
  
"Sh," I said, "Remember, I'm technically not a Chocobo Knight."  
  
"Oh, right!" Rikku said, but I saw her giggle anyway.  
  
She grabbed my arm then, and said, "Come on! You should be properly introduced to the  
  
others!"  
  
We went over to the door that Rikku and the rest had always exited from, and Rikku  
  
opened the door. Still pulling my arm, she pulled me into the room, and I realized that it actually  
  
wasn't really like a room, but a series of rooms, like what were in a Travel Agency.   
  
She led me into another room, where Lady Lulu and Sir Wakka were sitting deep in  
  
conversation.  
  
"Hey Wakka!" Rikku said, pushing me ahead, "This is Vance, your new player!"  
  
Immediately I felt shy, and didn't feel too much like talking, and was wishing Rikku  
  
hadn't pushed me ahead like she had.  
  
"Uh, hi!" I said, wishing I could just disappear.  
  
Rikku winked, and said, "Of course, he's actually undercover!"  
  
"So you're the undercover agent the knights sent in," Lady Lulu said, and she shook her  
  
head.  
  
"Welcome to the team, Brudda," Wakka said, holding his hand for me to shake.  
  
I shook his hand, and said, "Yeah, I'm the undercover agent."  
  
"He's not so bad Lu," Wakka said, "He's the one who found Yuna."  
  
"Not only that," Rikku said, "But he has awesome aim with his sling. Show 'um,  
  
Vance!"  
  
"Um, okay," I said, wondering what it was I would aim at.  
  
Rikku giggled and put an apple on her head. "Shoot it off!" she cried, giggling as she did  
  
so.  
  
"Okay," I said, and grabbed out my sling and loaded it with a medium sized rock. I  
  
aimed it quickly and fired, hitting the center of the apple right off of her head.  
  
Wakka looked amazed, but Lulu just leaned back. I figured it was more of her  
  
personality than anything, because I could tell she was just as amazed as Wakka.  
  
"Can you do that in Blitz?" Wakka asked, "I mean, your aim and all?"  
  
"Uh," I said, "I've never really...uh, tried."  
  
"As soon as we get to Besaid, you're tryin', ya?"  
  
"Definitely," I said, and then wondered how I would look training with the Besaid  
  
Aurochs. I had never touched a Blitzball in my entire life!  
  
"How's Yunie," Rikku said then, taking a seat on the floor.  
  
"She's...Distracted," Lulu said, "I can't figure out what's wrong with her."  
  
"It must be tough ya, to be her right now," Wakka said, looking at his hands which were  
  
clasped.  
  
The three of them continued talking about Yuna, things I didn't understand. I sat back,  
  
just listening, feeling as if I truly didn't belong.  
  
Before I knew it, it was late, and Rikku showed me where my room was. She told me to  
  
get enough sleep, because the next day we were traveling to Besaid.  
  
I didn't ask her how we were traveling there, but didn't really care, either. After the long  
  
day, I was feeling plenty tired, and it was nice to think that while the rest of the knights were on  
  
patrol, I would be sound asleep.

Someone was knocking on my door. That's what woke me up. I looked quickly out a  
  
little window, and noticed sun rays pouring in. I jumped up, and told the knocker I'd be ready in  
  
just a few seconds.   
  
"Just meet us out in the courtyard!" it was Rikku, and she laughed and said, "Do you  
  
always sleep in this late?"  
  
"I'll see you at the courtyard!" I just replied, feeling rather tired still from the day before.  
  
I quickly readied myself for the day and ran out of my room. Everything was empty, and  
  
I found myself hoping that I wasn't the last one up.  
  
I rushed outside to the courtyard and almost stopped dead in my tracks. Sitting there in  
  
the middle was a large machina airship.  
  
Feeling sick, I saw Rikku standing by it and she waved me over. I ran to her, and, out of  
  
breath, said, "Don't tell me we have to ride that thing!"  
  
"Aw, come on Vance!" Rikku said, "You're an Al Bhed whether you like it or not, so  
  
come on already!"  
  
She smiled and ran onto the ship, and I just stood there staring at it. It wasn't because it  
  
was a machina or that it was Al Bhed that scared me. What scared me was that I was deathly  
  
afraid of heights.  
  
Swallowing my fear, I boarded the airship with shaky legs to find that as I had figured,  
  
everybody was already there. Wakka and Lulu sat in the hall, and greeted me as I passed. I  
  
asked them where Rikku was, and they directed me ahead, telling me that she had gone into the  
  
main control room.  
  
I went through the whooshing doors and saw Rikku talking to an older man.  
  
"Why if it isn't Vance," the man said, turning around.  
  
I immediately recognized him as being Cid, Rikku's dad.  
  
I nodded, and said, "Hello Cid..."  
  
"Please don't say anything in Al Bhed!" raced through my head.  
  
"Where's my little niece?" Cid said, directing his conversation back to Rikku, "She upset  
  
about her wedding being ruined like this?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Rikku said, "But her stup-, I mean, Pinelli can't be found."  
  
"We'll find him!" Cid said, "Anything for her."  
  
Rikku gave a scornful look and said, "Why anything for her?"  
  
"She's the one getting married. I'm not seeing you rushing out to get married," Cid said,  
  
crossing his arms in front of his chest, "Had I raised you right..."  
  
"Father!" a voice said, interrupting their conversation.  
  
I turned around then and saw Rikku's brother. For some reason, his name slipped my  
  
mind...  
  
"Brother!" Rikku said, "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I can be here if I want," Rikku's brother said, and I instantly wanted to smack myself.   
  
How could you forget a name like that?  
  
"Don't start your bickering you two," Cid said, looking out the large windows, "And  
  
Rikku, Brother's here to navigate for us. Got a problem with that?"  
  
"Nope," Rikku said, "I don't care if we get lost."  
  
Brother began to mumble something in Al Bhed then, and Cid threw him a dirty look.  
  
"Whatever," Rikku finally said, shaking her head, "I'm going to go see how Yunie's  
  
doing." She looked at me and smiled and said, "You can come too, Vance. You shouldn't need  
  
to be stuck here with Brother!"  
  
I gave a weary, "I'm just here" smile, and followed Rikku out the door and back into the  
  
hallway where Wakka and Lulu were.  
  
"When are we taking off," I asked Rikku in a shaky voice. For a second, I had forgotten  
  
we were on an airship, "Will we know when we're flying?"  
  
Rikku shrugged. "Kind of. Ooh, and we can look out the windows and everything!"  
  
Windows? I felt sick. Maybe it would be wisest if I went into the hallway with Wakka  
  
and Lulu that had no windows.  
  
We were now going down another narrow passage, and I asked Rikku where we were  
  
going.  
  
She was interrupted then, as we heard the airship start off.   
  
"We're going to be going soon!" she said, and I thought my legs were going to give way  
  
any second then.  
  
I clenched onto the railing, and must have looked rather white, because then Rikku said,  
  
"Hey, you feeling alright?"  
  
I nodded, not knowing if she'd buy it or not.  
  
She stood there next to me, chatting away about something I couldn't concentrate on. I  
  
could feel the airship being lifted off of the ground, and then entire thought of it was making me  
  
feel quite ill.  
  
"So then Kimarhi had to return to Gagazet. We were like, "Hey, we'll give you a ride!",  
  
but Kimarhi said he'd just walk from Bevelle. Hey, guess we were close to the Calm Lands, we  
  
could've just gone and seen your friends. You do have friends there don't you? Anyway, last  
  
night I had this dream that I was singing and-"  
  
"Rikku," I said, interrupting her pointless babble, "I am feeling kind of queasy. Can we  
  
talk later?"  
  
"You sick?" she asked.  
  
"Maybe," I finally replied.  
  
"How come?" Rikku asked.  
  
There was no way I could tell her I was afraid of heights, so I just shrugged.  
  
We stood there in silence for a while, and I began to get the hang of the whole flying  
  
thing. I was still deathly afraid of looking out a window, but I had somehow managed to  
  
convince myself that I was still on the ground, and not in the air.  
  
"Wanna go check on Yunie?" Rikku asked after the moment of silence had passed.  
  
"Sure," I said, mainly because I was feeling better, and because I had to remind myself  
  
that if anything did happen to Yuna, I would have let Lucil down.  
  
We walked through another passage into an area where Rikku said the cabins were.   
  
Rikku walked ahead of me and went to the third door and knocked.  
  
"Just a second!" the two heard Yuna's reply, and they then waited until Yuna came to the  
  
door.  
  
"Hello there Rikku," she said, giving us one of the usual smiles, "and hello to you too,  
  
Vance."  
  
"Hi," Rikku and me said at the same time.  
  
"We just came to check on you, Yunie," Rikku said, "You okay?"  
  
Yuna smiled and said, "Yes, I'm fine. I'm just still a little tired from yesterday, that's  
  
all."  
  
"Oh, okay Yunie, bye," Rikku said, and we stood there until Yuna had shut the door. We  
  
walked down the hall a little further, and Rikku said to me, "I just don't get it!"  
  
"Get what?" I asked her.  
  
"Yunie...She's not always like this you know. But lately, she's just been, I don't know,  
  
weird. She's always to herself, and she never really talks to us about anything. Did you know  
  
she met Pinelli three times and then announced they were getting married? I was really exited,  
  
because I hadn't met Pinelli and thought that it would make her happy. But then, she only acted  
  
stranger and stranger. Then, when she introduced us all to Pinelli, he acted like a total jerk, but  
  
she didn't really say anything. Later, I asked her if she loved Pinelli, but she didn't even answer  
  
me!"  
  
"You know Rikku," I said, "Maybe she does love Pinelli. In fact, maybe she really is  
  
happy, and you're just paranoid. Think that's it?"  
  
"Yeah right," she said, rolling her eyes at me, "Then why does she act so weird?"  
  
"As for now, she probably missed Pinelli, and is worried about him. After all, she could  
  
love him." I was trying to make Rikku feel better, and to perhaps stop worrying about something  
  
that wasn't worth worrying about. However, I knew somewhere, that what she was saying about  
  
Yuna must be true. It had Rikku all worried, anyhow. This was the first time I had seen Rikku  
  
upset over something. It had to be real, and not just Rikku's imagination.  
  
"Rikku!" Cid's voice suddenly exploded onto the Loudspeaker, "You need to report to  
  
the deck, and bring Vance with you. The ship has a problem, and I need Vance and you to fix it.   
Got it?"  
  
"Sure thing Pops!" Rikku said, although I wasn't sure if Cid could hear her or not, "Come  
  
on Vance, let's go see what's wrong!"  
  
"Where're we goin'?" I asked, as Rikku pulled me along with her.  
  
"To the deck. Hey, I know you're no good with machina, but you can still be of some  
  
help. Come on!"  
  
Pretty soon we were running up a flight of stairs and into a room that had windows  
  
everywhere.  
  
I started to feel queasy again, but didn't have time to think about it, for Rikku was pulling  
  
me quickly by the windows.  
  
We jumped onto a platform, which began to rise. I looked down, as we went up, feeling  
  
queasier and queasier.   
  
We reached the top, and two doors opened, revealing the deck, as well as clouds. I  
  
stopped, making Rikku drop my arm.  
  
"What's wrong Vance?" she yelled over the sound the engine of the ship was making.  
  
I couldn't answer. I was standing thousands of feet high in an open area, about to fix  
  
machina of all things. It was too much. My body gave way, and the next thing I knew, I blacked  
  
out.

"Hey, you okay?"  
  
I felt my eyes flash open. I was in a well-lit room, but I knew I was still in the airship.   
  
Wakka was looking over at me, and I sat up.  
  
"Hey, take it easy, ya!" Wakka said, as I looked around.  
  
"What happened?" I asked, leaning my head back.  
  
"Don't know. I was hoping you could tell us!" Wakka gave a chuckle, "Seems to me like  
  
being out on the deck was too much for you."  
  
It all came back to me then, and I smiled. Wakka didn't seem my smile, but I then  
  
realized that the engine had just turned off.  
  
"What's going on?" I asked, looking around.  
  
"Welcome to Besaid Island!" Wakka just said, and I figured we'd landed, "Ready to go?"  
  
"Sure am!" I said, feeling happier than ever that the unpleasant flight was finally finished.   
  
I hopped off of the bed that I was lying on and followed Wakka out the door. I followed him to  
  
the door that we had entered the airship through, and we went out, being greeted with gorgeous  
  
weather.  
  
The rest were already out there, and Yuna was discussing something with Cid.  
  
"Hey!" Rikku said, "Feeling better?"  
  
"Yeah," I said, "Uh, did you get whatever it was fixed?"  
  
"Uh-huh, though it would have been easier if you stuck around!" she gave me a teasing  
  
look, and then smiled.  
  
Yuna finished her discussion with Cid, and turned to us. Rikku waved goodbye, and,  
  
almost making me sick all over again, the airship took off.  
  
We were on the beach, which was a lovely sanded area that stretched for what seemed  
  
like forever. Old ruins loomed in the distance, and I wondered what I had been doing spending  
  
all my time in the boring Calm Lands when I could have been here.  
  
"This is where we practice Blitz," Wakka began to explain to me.  
  
Wakka continued talking about drills and such then, but I was too busy looking over at  
  
Yuna, who was staring off at the horizon, as if deep in thought.  
  
Rikku noticed her too, and then noticed me. She cocked her head at Yuna, giving me a  
  
look that said, "See! I told you something was wrong!"  
  
"By the way, Yuna," Lulu said, going over to Yuna, who immediately broke off her stare.  
  
"Lu, you're going to tell her now?" Wakka said, running over by Lulu and Yuna.  
  
"Hey!" Rikku said, "What's going on?"  
  
"Aw!" Wakka said, covering his eyes with one hand, "Not now Lu!"  
  
"Wakka and me have decided to marry," Lulu said, more to Yuna than to Rikku and me,  
  
"We hope it doesn't upset you or anything."  
  
Yuna smiled, and I could tell it was one of her real ones.  
  
"That's great!" she said, "Of course I'm not upset!"  
  
We were now heading through a lovely path on our way to the village, or so I supposed.   
  
Rikku made faces at Lulu and Wakka, calling them lovebirds and made cooing noises, and ran up  
  
ahead. I followed behind Rikku a ways, and Yuna, Wakka, and Lulu followed from the farthest  
  
behind. I wondered slightly where Kimarhi was, but remembered that he had to go to Gagazet  
  
for some reason or another, or at least as Rikku had been babbling to me about before.  
  
"Besaid is really kind of neat," Rikku said, still racing around. We had reached a large  
  
cliff area above the village, and I looked down next to Rikku.  
  
"Wow!" I said, looking at the tiny village, "This is pretty neat!"  
  
As soon as Yuna, Wakka, and Lulu passed, Rikku made snoring noises.   
  
"Also a great place for a bore," she said, "Let's just say that nothing too exciting happens  
  
around here."  
  
She ran down the hill then, following the rest who had passed us earlier. I ran too, mainly  
  
just to keep up with Rikku. Even if I tried to hide it, I knew I basically still was just a boy, and  
  
was really just as immature as Rikku. I just knew how to contain myself.  
  
The two of us now took our time following the other three, as Rikku babbled on about the  
  
dream that she had been trying to tell me about earlier. She was walking backwards, facing me,  
  
and wasn't paying any attention at all of where she was going.  
  
"Hey!" she said as she slammed into Wakka, "Whatchya stop for?"  
  
I ran over to her. Wakka, Lulu, and Yuna all stared ahead of themselves as in some sort  
  
of hypnotic state. In front of them stood a man who looked actually a little like Wakka, with his  
  
orange hair and the same basic outfit. He also wore a smile that was quite similar to Wakka's.  
  
"Hey!" he greeted them, walking up to them. The three ahead of us still didn't move.  
  
"Hi!" Rikku said, going ahead of Yuna, Wakka, and Lulu, "I'm Rikku!"  
  
"Chappu," the man said, shaking hands vigorously with Rikku, "Where have you been,  
  
you guys?" Chappu now walked over to Wakka and gave him a little prod on the back, and gave  
  
Lulu a little kiss.  
  
He went over to Yuna, as to say something, and I looked at Yuna, only to notice that she  
  
had tears streaming down her face. Before Chappu could say anything to her, Yuna sprinted off  
  
toward the temple.  
  
Rikku watched the whole scene, as if not knowing what was going on. I too was  
  
confused, but was now quite used to feeling that way.  
  
"But Chappu!" Wakka started, "You're dead!"  
  
"Dead?" I repeated, and looked over at Lulu, who was as pale as a ghost, "What's going  
  
on?"  
  
"I don't know," Rikku said, backing up by me, "And really, I don't even know if we'll  
  
find out..."


	5. Farplane Shadows

Chapter 5: Farplane Shadows  
  
We all just stared there, Lulu and Wakka looking amazed, and Chappu smiling a proud  
  
smile. Rikku looked between Wakka and Chappu, and said, "You two related?"  
  
"I'm his brother ya," Chappu said.  
  
Lulu seemed to regain herself and said, "Chappu, you're alive?"  
  
Wakka regained himself again and said, "See Lu, I told you he would just pop back!"  
  
"Just pop back?" Rikku repeated to herself. I was feeling more and more confused,  
  
wondering to myself what was going on. I didn't like feeling confused, and I was definitely tired  
  
of feeling confused.   
  
My jumbled thoughts immediately jumped to Yuna. What was up with her actions? I  
  
had noticed tears streaming down her face, and then she had bolted into the temple. Without  
  
warning, I found myself sprinting toward the temple, deciding that if anyone could help me clear  
  
up the confusion, Yuna could.   
  
The temple was rather vacant, just a few people in the corner talking. There were two  
  
elderly men sitting on the steps leading to the fayth, and I ran up to them.  
  
"Excuse me," I said, "Have any of you seen the Lady Yuna?"  
  
"Who wants to know?" one of the men asked, not snottily, but not nicely either.  
  
"My name is Vance, and I'm...Er friends with her." I found myself looking around,  
  
amazed at how different this temple was to the temple in Bevelle.   
  
I had never believed in the Teaching of Yevon, being that I was Al Bhed. Or at least, my  
  
mother had been Al Bhed. I never met my father, and my mother told me that he was killed by  
  
Sin the same year that I had been born. My mother died when I was five, leaving me at Home to  
  
care for myself, basically. The temple in Bevelle was the only temple I had ever been in, until  
  
now.   
  
To tell the truth, thinking of Bevelle made me bitter. That's where I had been born,  
  
anyway. I moved when I was three. I barely remembered it. However, I knew that Bevelle was  
  
where my father had been killed, or at least around Bevelle. Or...Or at least I assumed.  
  
"The Lady Summoner is in the fayth," the second man said then, and I felt my thoughts  
  
all drift away.  
  
"What's she doing in there?" I asked, not thinking.  
  
"She said something about being alone," the first man said, and they both stood up, "You  
  
can go find her, if you want."  
  
"I will, thank you," I said, and ran up the stairs and through the door. I was hit by another  
  
cloister, and quickly found my way through it. Once more I was in the guardian waiting room,  
  
and ran up to the fayth. The door was open, so I let myself in.  
  
"Lady Yuna?" I said, looking at her. She was kneeled by the no-longer working fayth,  
  
and immediately looked up at me. She stood up quickly, wiping her eyes. "Uh, what's wrong?"  
  
I asked her, and she looked at the ground.  
  
"It's 'cause Chappu looks like Tidus!" I heard Rikku's voice come from behind, "right?"  
  
Yuna gave a mutter, but then shook her head, busying herself by looking at the ground.  
  
"I don't know," she said softly.  
  
"Sure it is!" Rikku said, walking over to her cousin, "Don't you miss him Yunie?"  
  
"Well, of course I do," Yuna said, still looking at her feet, "But he's gone, and that's all  
  
there is to it."  
  
"So," I said, deciding I didn't care to interfere with Yuna's love life, "Who's Chappu?"  
  
"Wakka's brother," Yuna said, "He died a few years back."  
  
"Died?" Rikku asked, "But, how's he back?"  
  
Yuna sighed. "I don't know Rikku."  
  
"Maybe there's something wrong with the farplane?" Rikku suggested, "And maybe then  
  
Tidus will be back too!"  
  
Yuna shook her head. "He's not in the farplane," she said slowly.  
  
"You've checked?" Rikku asked.  
  
Yuna's head shook again, "No, but Wakka and Lulu have. They wouldn't lie to me."  
  
"If he's not in the farplane..." Rikku said, "Then he's still alive?"  
  
Once again, Yuna's head shook, and she looked away from us. "He doesn't exist," she  
  
said slowly, "And it's about time you learned to accept that, Rikku. Anyway, maybe we should  
  
ask Chappu about what happened."  
  
Yuna stood up and started toward the exit. Rikku looked at me, and gave a rather queasy  
  
smile. Then, side by side, we followed Yuna out of the door to the temple.  
  
"So he doesn't recall anything about being dead?" Yuna was saying.  
  
"No, that's just it," Lulu said, "he seems to think he's been here this entire time. We even  
  
tried explaining it to him, and he still doesn't remember dying. Wakka and me just can't figure it  
  
out."  
  
"Where is he?" Rikku asked.  
  
"With Wakka, playing Bitzball on the beach, I think," Lulu replied, and for the most part  
  
shook her head. She looked tired, and seemed rather distraught over the whole deal. Lulu  
  
suddenly looked up at Yuna, and a worried look overcame her face.  
  
"What's wrong?" Yuna asked.  
  
"I've heard rumors, Yuna," Lulu said, gazing at Yuna with a worried look on her face,  
  
"I've heard that Chappu isn't the only one back. They're saying that Maester Seymour is back."  
  
"Seymour!" Rikku yelled, "But that's impossible!"  
  
"Is it?" Lulu said, appearing deep in thought, "Chappu is back, isn't he? Why wouldn't  
  
Seymour be back too?"  
  
"I wonder if Seymour remembers dying?" Yuna said more to herself than to us.  
  
"Whoa, wait a minute," I said, feeling confusion spread over to me again, "He's just some  
  
Maester. Aren't you guys happy he's back? How'd he die, anyway? He was that ugly guado  
  
guy...guy..." I couldn't believe I had lost all sense of formalities like that. I felt my cheeks  
  
growing hotter and hotter, and even hotter. I wanted to just disappear. Me, calling a maester an  
  
ugly guado guy! I was sure I was about ready to die.  
  
"We killed him, Vance," Rikku said then, which was the most surprising thing I'd heard  
  
in my entire life, "But it had to be done, right Yunie?"  
  
Yuna looked somewhat shaken, as if recalling the incident. "You know," she said, not  
  
really answering my questions or Rikku's, "We didn't really spend a lot of time convincing  
  
people that Seymour wasn't a good guy, did we? I guess once we defeated Sin, no one really  
  
cared that we were traitors anymore."  
  
"But now he's back," Rikku said, sounding quite unhappy.   
  
"We need to take care of this," Yuna said softly.  
  
"Oh no you don't," Lulu said, "Yuna, you're in no position to run off to take care of  
  
Seymour. Wakka and me can't come, you know that. Not with Chappu running around not  
  
realizing that he was once dead. Kimarhi has his own problems too."  
  
"I'm open!" Rikku put in, "Yunie and me can go." Rikku looked in thought then, as if  
  
knowing that Lulu still wouldn't budge on the idea. She looked at her feet, and then looked at  
  
me and smiled, giving me a queasy feeling in my stomach. "What if Vance went too!"  
  
"I'm here to...," I started, as I was going to say that I was there to play blitzball,  
  
something I hadn't even had the chance to do yet. Then I recalled that I was actually here  
  
undercover to help guard Yuna. "I mean, I guess I could come."  
  
"Well..." Lulu said, looking off into the distance, "I still have to put my foot down on this  
  
Yuna. Why, with all of those crazed Yevon-haters and Yevonites..., and with your wedding...."  
  
"Lulu!" Yuna protested, "This needs to be done. If Seymour really is back, who else  
  
could take care of him, than Rikku, Vance, and me?"  
  
"I know but..." Lulu was looking defeated.  
  
"We can take my dad's airship!" Rikku said, "But where will we go?"  
  
"To Guadosalam first," Yuna said, "I'm sure Seymour will be there." Then, very softly,  
  
she said, "And I'm sure he won't be the only one."  
  
"I'll go see if I can signal my dad!" Rikku said, cheerfully, as she jumped up, "I have  
  
some machina in my room!"  
  
It was then that I felt my stomach drop. Another ride in the airship? Uh, I felt sick just at  
  
the thought. Still, I decided I couldn't very well tell them that I was afraid of heights. It seemed  
  
to me like Yuna and Rikku weren't afraid of a single thing.  
  
Rikku ran off, and Lulu and Yuna were suddenly in deep discussion. I wasn't paying any  
  
attention to them, being that I was far too interested in my own thoughts, about how I would ever  
  
overcome my fear of heights.  
  
"He does kind of, doesn't he?" I heard Yuna giggle. I looked up, and noticed that Lulu  
  
and Yuna were both staring at me. I wondered what it was they were talking about, and Yuna  
  
answered my questions that were running through my head.  
  
"Rikku says that we might be related to you," Yuna said with a smile, "She said she was  
  
going to ask her dad."  
  
"Huh?" I said, hoping I didn't sound as confused as I looked.  
  
"Rikku says that you might be a second cousin to us or something," Yuna said, clarifying  
  
what she had just said.  
  
"Oh," I said, "That'd be different, I guess. I never really thought about that."  
  
"Well, Lulu and me were just saying that we kind of look alike, that's all." Yuna smiled  
  
at me, and I wondered if I should tell her about our eyes.  
  
I hadn't noticed it until that moment, but her eyes were blue and green. Mine were too.   
  
Except, actually, they were both blue. When I had moved into the Calm Lands, I had put blue  
  
dye in my green eye, hoping to conceal the fact that I was Al Bhed. I'd died my hair black years  
  
and years ago to conceal that I was only half Al Bhed, hoping that everyone at Home would think  
  
I was Al Bhed fully. However, now my hair had just turned to a dark brown, and it didn't seem  
  
to matter what I did. I couldn't look fully Al Bhed, but I couldn't hide the fact that I was Al  
  
Bhed either.   
  
Rikku returned then, smiling and said, "Pop's on his way!"  
  
My stomach sank, and I felt kind of sick. I decided that I wasn't going to show it, though,  
  
and decided that it was going to be quick, after all.   
  
"Now wait a minute," Lulu said, "I don't like this idea at all. What if something happens  
  
to you?"  
  
"Nothing'll happen, Lulu," Yuna said, "You just have to believe."  
  
"Yeah, believe!" Rikku said, throwing her fist in the air happily.  
  
The sound of the airship was suddenly very apparent, and Lulu was looking incredibly  
  
unhappy.  
  
"I don't like this at all," she said, "But if you really insist. Still, don't be doing anything  
  
to get yourself killed, understand?"  
  
"Don't worry!" Rikku said, and then turned to us, "Ready?"  
  
I looked at Lulu as if giving her a begging look. I didn't want to go. I wanted to play  
  
blitzball! This was definitely not what I wanted to do at all.  
  
"Okay, no problem," I told myself, "We'll just go talk to this dead maester guy, and then  
  
come back, and I'll blitz all day. No problem..."  
  
Rikku ran ahead then, saying her final farewells to Lulu. Yuna smiled almost wearily,  
  
and said goodbye to Lulu, telling her to also say goodbye to Wakka and Chappu for her. I just  
  
nodded my farewell, deciding that it didn't matter too terribly much to her anyway.  
  
"This is so exciting!" Rikku said, as she skipped ahead. Cid's airship had parked in the  
  
water, near the docks, so we were skipping up the hill to the forest, on our way to the water.  
  
Yuna had become incredibly quiet, and I too felt quiet, not wanting to talk.  
  
I walked behind Yuna, while Rikku continued skipping ahead. Finally, I sighed, deciding  
  
that the worse my attitude was about this, the worse it would be.  
  
"So," I said, walking in front of Yuna, "Mind filling me in on exactly what's going on?"  
  
"It's an incredibly long story!" Rikku said, still skipping about, "But in a short little bit,  
  
Seymour may be back, and I'll bet he has something to do with Chappu being back too.   
  
Seymour's bad news, isn't that right Yunie?"  
  
It was then that I noticed just how distracted Yuna looked. "Huh? Oh, sure," she said to  
  
Rikku's remark.  
  
"Come on you guys!" Rikku then urged, obviously not making a note of Yuna's's  
  
distraction, "Let's go already!"  
  
"Wow, nothing too exciting must happen to you, Rikku," I said, but smiled anyway, and  
  
ran up by her.  
  
"Maybe," Rikku said, when I reached her, and Yuna's couldn't hear us, "If we go on this  
  
mission, it'll discourage Yuna's from marrying! You think?"  
  
"Maybe she really likes Pinelli," I said, rolling my eyes.  
  
"Come on Vance," Rikku's eyes rolled now, "She's only met him three times in her entire  
  
life. Something's up."  
  
"Like what? You think Yuna's hiding something from us?" I asked, wondering if that's  
  
what was on Rikku's mind.  
  
"I do," she said, and was about to continue, when Yuna's ran up behind them.  
  
"Do what?" she asked, and I watched her put on one of her forced smiles.  
  
"Do...Do hate Seymour!" Rikku said, and put on one of her fake smiles. Rikku's smiles  
  
were so convincingly fake, however, that Yuna's just gave her a puzzled look.  
  
"Do me a favor Rikku," I said softly, "No more forced smiles from you."  
  
Rikku's tongue was stuck out of her mouth pointed at me, but she smiled one of her real  
  
smiles.  
  
The airship was now in sight, being that we'd reached the beach. Rikku ran ahead, and  
  
ran into the airship, while Yuna's and me made our way slowly toward the ship.   
  
Before I knew it, we were boarding the dreaded airship. I gripped the handle and pulled  
  
myself up the stairs, trying hard to convince myself that it would be over before I knew it.   
  
We climbed into the ship, and I found my way to the cabin, where I decided I would stay  
  
for this trip. There were no windows in it, and for all I knew, we could still be on the ground.  
  
As I sat there, alone in the cabin, thoughts began to dwell in my head. I was feeling so  
  
confused that it was unreal.  
  
Rikku came bursting into the cabin after a few minutes or so, and said, "Hey! There you  
  
are! I've been looking all over for you!"  
  
"Oh," I said, trying not to sound sickly or anything, "You have?"  
  
"Yeah! Guess what my pops said?" Rikku said, giggling, "Did you know that your mom  
  
was my pop's sister? That means we're cousins, you know. Same with Yunie too. Imagine,  
  
you've gone your whole life not realizing it!"  
  
"Are you sure?" I asked, wondering if Rikku was simply making everything up.  
  
"Yeah! My dad said that your mom married some guy who wasn't Al Bhed, and then  
  
they lost touch. Same with Yunie's mom!"  
  
"Hm..." I just said, sounding in thought, "Where's Yuna's?"  
  
"She's around, I guess," Rikku said, "She seems kind of distracted, don't you think? This  
  
Seymour stuff must be too much for her."  
  
"Who's Seymour?" I finally asked, "I mean, I know who he is, but why's he back? And  
  
why do we care if he's back or not?"  
  
"Because Vance!" Rikku said loudly, "Seymour's like evil! He tried to kill us and  
  
everything, and not only that, but he's like a psycho! And if his return gets around, then  
  
everybody will be on us again about killing him. It's impossible to convince them that  
  
Seymour's bad. So, we just need to take care of him again, that's all."  
  
"That's all?" I said, "You make it sound pretty easy."  
  
"Well, we'll look for Tidus on the side!" Rikku said, "And then when Pinelli comes back,  
  
we'll say, "Sorry Pinhead, but Yunie's not marrying you now!"'  
  
My eyes rolled, as I watched Rikku smile as if she'd just said the funniest thing in all of  
  
Spira.   
  
"But that guy's dead," I said, more to myself than to Rikku. In fact, she didn't hear me,  
  
because at that moment, she ran out the door.  
  
Soon after she left, I heard Cid's voice over the loudspeaker, as he said, "We've landed in  
  
Guadosalam!"  
  
I sighed, glad that we were finally there. I stood up, stretched quickly, and ran out to the  
  
main room.  
  
I was feeling kind of drowsy, being that I had wanted to play Blitzball more than battle  
  
some deceased Guado. However, I continued to convince myself that we'd take care of  
  
Seymour, and return to Besaid, where I would spend the rest of my days playing Blitz. If only I  
  
had known then that that wasn't how things were going to be. 


	6. The Return of Seymour

I am SO SORRY that I haven't updated in so long! I feel really bad... Oh, and I'm not going to  
give you some lame excuse, like "I had school!", because the truth is, I haven't been in school for  
a long time! (Summer Vacation!) Anyway, the truth is, I was too busy working on another  
fanfiction, one that I update about every other day. And...Well, truth of the matter is, that I also  
started two more that I haven't put up yet. And...Well, I just kind of flat out forgot about this  
one. I'm so sorry! I'll try to balance this one in with my other one, and hopefully you'll be  
seeing more updates with this story. Not only that, but it's just now getting to the exciting parts!   
Here's a long-awaited chapter six! Enjoy!

Chapter 6: The Return of Seymour  
  
"Plan Yunie?" Rikku asked nervously as we walked up the path to Guadosalam, "What  
  
are we gonna do if Seymour's there?"  
  
A loud engine noise could be heard then, and Rikku jumped, looking behind her just as  
  
the airship took off.  
  
"What? They're leaving us?" Rikku cried, running after them, "Come back!"  
  
"It's okay Rikku," Yuna said, smiling, "I told them to leave. We're going to handle the  
  
rest on our own. Besides, the sight of the airship may make them feel somewhat...I don't  
  
know...worried."  
  
Rikku looked white, and I found myself rolling my eyes, trying terribly not to feel bored.  
  
"Let's just go already," I said, thinking of what position I'd be able to play when I got  
  
back to Besaid.  
  
"Wait! We need a plan!" Rikku moaned, "We can't just march in there, saying, "Hey, we  
  
need to see Seymour", can we?"  
  
"Why not?" Yuna asked, and I could see through her eyes that she did have something on  
  
her mind, but she wasn't about to let us know. "Don't worry," she said, leading the way toward  
  
Guadosalam, "I've got it all worked out."  
  
"Oh!" Rikku moaned, twisting one of her braids nervously.  
  
I smiled and walked swiftly behind Yuna, deciding that as long as she was in charge, we  
  
may just get this over with quickly.   
  
"So, we just go in there and ask him a few questions?" I asked hopefully.  
  
"That's it," Yuna said, but I could tell there was something more to it. There was  
  
something Yuna wasn't telling Rikku and me. Or at least, something she wasn't telling me.  
  
We continued up the path toward Guadosalam, and I found myself taking in my many  
  
surroundings, being that it was the first time I had ever been through this area. On my way down  
  
from the Calm Lands, I had skipped over this place, same as on the way up to Bevelle. It was  
  
then that I realized that I really hadn't gotten out much.  
  
We finally reached the entrance to Guadosalam, and Rikku began twisting her braids,  
  
growing more and more white with each hair twist.  
  
"There's nothing to be worried about," I finally said, but then realized that I was the only  
  
calm one. Even Yuna was beginning to tense up, although she didn't show it in her eyes. In her  
  
eyes, she looked more determined than anything.  
  
"Okay," she said, taking a breath, "We're here. We are just going to ask Seymour  
  
questions. For now."  
  
"But Yunie!" Rikku moaned, "What if he, you know, tries to hurt one of us?"  
  
"That's why you're here," Yuna just said, "Vance and Rikku, you watch my back."  
  
"No problem there," I said, trying incredibly hard to stifle a yawn.   
  
"Okay then," Yuna said, "Let's go!"  
  
We walked into Guadosalam, and guados were everywhere. I was smiling, taking  
  
everything in, and actually thoroughly enjoying myself. Rikku, however, stood between Yuna  
  
and me, looking quite fearful of what lay ahead.  
  
"Lady Yuna! We've been expecting you!" an elderly guado made his way toward us,  
  
smiling a rather, shall we say, evil looking smile.  
  
"That's good," Yuna said, "It is true of Maester Seymour's return, correct?"  
  
"Yes, it is!" the guado said, smiling wide, "It truly is wonderful, for our leader to have  
  
returned."  
  
"Tell me," Yuna said, "Would it be possible if we spoke to Maester Seymour?"  
  
"After what happened two years ago?" the guado said, "I don't think so."  
  
"Tromell, we mean Seymour no harm," Yuna said, smiling as she said so, "We just have  
  
some questions for him, after all."  
  
"No, I will not allow it," the guado, who's name was Tromell, said, "I will not allow you  
  
to kill our great Lord Seymour again!"  
  
"Look Buddy," Rikku said, and I could tell by the gleam in her eye that she, like me, just  
  
wanted to get out of this place, "We just want to talk with him!"  
  
"Let them in," we all turned, and looked down at the entrance of the main place, to see a  
  
strange looking guado standing there. Wait, was he a guado? I felt my eyes on him, trying to  
  
tell. Yes, he had to be a guado, but something was different...  
  
Rikku's eyes opened fearfully, and she cowered behind Yuna. So that, was Seymour.   
  
I wanted to laugh. That was the guy they had been so afraid of? He didn't look too  
  
capable of anything.  
  
Yuna gave a nod to Tromell, and holding her head high, she went down the slope, toward  
  
Seymour, with Rikku and me following behind.  
  
"Good day, Lady Yuna," Seymour said, allowing them in, "It has been too long."  
  
Seymour led the group in through some more doors, to the strangest looking room I had  
  
ever been in.  
  
Rikku's eyes lit up as she saw the amount of food piled on a table in the middle, but Yuna  
  
remained somewhat tense, and looked around the room.  
  
"This room doesn't bring too many good memories for Yunie," Rikku whispered in my  
  
ear.  
  
I was going to ask why, but decided not to.  
  
"Have a seat," Seymour said, and to me, he sounded rather friendly. We each took a seat,  
  
and Seymour took one across from us.  
  
"I know why you have come," he said, and smiled, a smile that sent chills up my spine,  
  
"You have come to find out why I, as well as many others, am back. Well, it is rather  
  
complicated, but let's just say even the farplane couldn't hold me back."  
  
"So you learned how to control the farplane from within it," Yuna asked cooly, "How?"  
  
Seymour shook his head, tsking as he did so, "Do you expect me to tell you, Lady Yuna?"  
  
"Seymour," Yuna said, angrily, "It isn't right! People who should be sent aren't. Are you  
  
just an un-sent, or are you truly back?"  
  
Seymour gave a smile. "You could try to send me," he said, "but I'm afraid that won't do  
  
you much good."  
  
"So you are back?" Rikku whined, and Yuna shot her a look to tell her to be quiet.  
  
"I'm quite back," Seymour said, looking straight at Yuna.  
  
Yuna looked as if she wanted to say something, but was afraid to say it with Rikku and  
  
me around.  
  
"The day of your wedding," Seymour said, eyeing Yuna, "That was the day I returned."  
  
I thought back to the wedding, and it was the first time since the wedding that I had  
  
thought about it. I wondered if Elma had recovered yet. I wondered where Pinelli was. I  
  
wondered what Lucil was doing. I just continued wondering.  
  
When I snapped back to the present time, Yuna and Seymour were deep in some  
  
discussion.  
  
"What do you want?" Yuna was asking, "Sin is gone. Spira is happy! Why did you come  
  
back?"  
  
"I'm not the only one back," Seymour reminded her, "And besides, true happiness can  
  
only be found in death."  
  
His words sickened me.  
  
"Would you like to find out?" Seymour asked, pulling out a long, pointed staff.  
  
Yuna and Rikku stood up, backing away, and I realized I was the only one still sitting.   
  
Without thinking, I pulled out my sling.  
  
"Go for it, Seymour," I said, and saw him look somewhat surprised.  
  
Seymour just smiled evilly again, and I saw flicks of fire coming from the staff. Before  
  
he could do anything else, I fired a shot at him, hitting him in the middle of the forehead, and  
  
readied another, hitting him in the eye.  
  
"We are not finished talking yet!" Seymour howled, rubbing the areas where I had hit  
  
him.  
  
He dropped his staff, as if to say he was done for the time being, and sat back down,  
  
although he eyed me angrily.  
  
He motioned us to sit down again also, but Yuna shook her head, telling him that we were  
  
fine standing.  
  
"Fine, I will tell you all," he said, looking directly at Yuna again, "But I will not tolerate  
  
him," Seymour nodded toward me, "to hear. He isn't one of your guardians, is he?"  
  
Yuna looked at me, but I already had turned toward the door. I hated the thought of  
  
leaving them alone, because I knew if something happened to them, that it would be my blame.   
  
Still, I couldn't really see Seymour seriously doing anything.  
  
"Is it okay if I leave?" I asked Yuna.  
  
She nodded, although I noticed she did look a little nervous.  
  
"I hear any screams or anything, and I'm back in a flash!" I told Seymour, and checked to  
  
see if my sword was still in its place.  
  
Then, I walked out of the hot room, and stood by the door.  
  
A man with brown curly hair came out that moment also, and he stared at me.  
  
"Hey you!" he asked me, "Are you a chocobo knight?"  
  
I was about to answer that I was, but then remembered that I was undercover.  
  
"No, I'm not," I just said.  
  
"Good, in that case, you must be some kind of servant. Get me a towel, will you? I'd  
  
like to take a shower!"  
  
"I'm not a servant, either," I said, rolling my eyes, "I'm a visitor."  
  
"Visitors are here?" the man's blue eyes opened wide, "And I haven't even taken a  
  
shower yet!"  
  
"They aren't here to see you," I just said, wondering who this ignorant man was.  
  
"That must be why Seymour told me to stay put," the man said, lifting his nose at me,  
  
"Very well, I shall do as told. And I don't care who you are! I order you to get me a towel!"  
  
"Who are you?" I found myself asking, "I don't just take orders from anybody off of the  
  
street, you know."  
  
The man crossed his arms. "You don't know me?" he asked with a snort, "But everybody  
  
knows me."  
  
"Well I don't," I just said crossly, hoping that Yuna and Rikku were alright, and  
  
wondering what it was they were discussing.  
  
"I would tell you, but it would blow my cover," the man said, and I found that I couldn't  
  
stand the tone of his voice. He was acting incredibly snobbish, and I couldn't help but wonder  
  
who he was. He had to be somebody special to act the way he did.  
  
"At least get me some food," the man said, "A commoner like you should be happy to get  
  
me food."  
  
"I don't even know who you are," I replied nastily.  
  
"Oh, and who are you?" he asked, crossing his arms, "Not anybody of importance, are  
  
you? Otherwise, you'd be in there, talking with Seymour."  
  
"For your information," I said, wanting desperately to tell him that I was third-in-  
  
command of the chocobo knights, "I am a traveling companion of Lady Yuna."  
  
The man's eyes opened wide.   
  
"Lady Yuna is here?" he practically gasped, "What is she doing here?"  
  
"Speaking with Seymour," I explained, wondering why the man was so surprised.  
  
"About what?" the man's voice cracked.  
  
"Why should I tell you?" I asked, rolling my eyes.  
  
"I think I deserve to know," the man said, looking at me with anger in his eyes.  
  
"And why do you think that?" I snapped back at him.  
  
"She is my fiancé," the man said, rolling his own eyes.  
  
"Wait a minute, you're– "  
  
"Pinelli?" I turned around. The doors had opened, and Yuna, Rikku, as well as Seymour  
  
stood there behind me.  
  
"Yuna, Darling!" Pinelli said, and ran down the stairs.  
  
Yuna looked angry, and not at all happy to see her fiancé. Seymour just glared at Pinelli,  
  
as if angry that he was there.  
  
Pinelli had come down the stairs and had embraced Yuna, although Yuna wasn't  
  
embracing back. She just stood there, in Pinelli's embrace, looking angry still.  
  
She pulled out, glaring at him.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she demanded, "I mean, I knew you were here but..."  
  
"Wait a minute!" Rikku said, breaking through the middle of Pinelli and Yuna, "You  
  
knew Pinelli was here? Yunie, why didn't we know?"  
  
Yuna's attention turned back to Pinelli, and again I found myself feeling somewhat out of  
  
place.  
  
"Seymour and me are old friends, being that he was a maester along with my grandfather.   
  
When I heard he returned, of course I came to see him," Pinelli explained, looking as if he  
  
wanted to hug Yuna again, but Rikku was still in between the two.   
  
"That still doesn't explain why you're here!" Rikku said, and again Yuna gave her that  
  
look to stay out of it.  
  
Yuna just shook her head.   
  
"I know what you two are planning," she said angrily, "I don't know what makes  
  
everybody think I'm stupid. You both can think of me as a threat to your plan."  
  
Then, she huffed past everybody, and out the door. Rikku and me looked at each other,  
  
and followed, and I noticed that Rikku stuck her tongue out at Pinelli.  
  
"What did Seymour tell you guys?" I asked Rikku, quite aware that I seemed to be the  
  
only one that didn't understand what was going on, "And where are we going?"  
  
"We're going to the farplane," Rikku just explained, not telling me what it was Seymour  
  
had said, "There's someone we're supposed to meet there."  
  
Soon we were on our way up the steps toward the farplane.  
  
Again, I felt somewhat queasy. I had never been in the farplane before, and it kind of  
  
gave me the creeps. Especially with everybody acting the way they were.  
  
"Yunie," Rikku said, breaking away from me and running up to Yuna, "What if...if...You  
  
know...Uh...Tidus is here?"  
  
Yuna looked at Rikku for a long time. She just stared at Rikku as if she didn't  
  
comprehend the question. Then, she just shook her head.  
  
"He won't be," she just said, and marched through the farplane. Rikku gave me a  
  
somewhat scared look, but followed behind Yuna anyway. I could tell I wasn't the only one  
  
frightened by it.  
  
Finally, I took a deep breath and followed the two into the farplane.  
  
It wasn't anything too terrifying really. It was just an empty area. Except for the fact that  
  
there was a man in a red coat sitting on the other side.  
  
It was misty, and I couldn't make him out, but I saw both Rikku and Yuna squinting into  
  
the mist. Finally, Yuna broke the silence, and said, "Sir Auron?"

A.N.: Okay, that was kind of a short chapter, only about 2000 some words, but oh well. I'll try to update a lot sooner, and you should expect more! Besides, what's Yuna's fiancé doing with  
Seymour? And what did Seymour tell Yuna and Rikku? Not only that, but what's Auron doing  
back? Is he the one that they're supposed to talk to? Find it all out coming soon! (I hope,  
anyway!)


End file.
